The Finding
by sch.94
Summary: It's been 2 weeks since everyone arrived at the safehouse, and the tension is building. Strange things are occuring, and secrets abound. The plan for the jailbreak is complete, but something's not right... Chloe & Derek
1. Waiting

**Author's Note**: Hey guys. This is my first fanfic, and I would really appreciate any comments/reviews/advice/criticism you have to offer. I know this chapter might be a little rough, but I'm attempting to lay out the mood and structure of the story a bit before getting into it (and I'm also doing it without a beta for now. We'll see how it goes.) Again, I'd love anything you have to offer.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Darkest Powers Trilogy, characters, plot, etc. But a girl can dream, right? 

**Waiting**

**Chloe POV**

Two weeks. We've been here for two weeks already, and noone has so much as mentioned a possible plan to us yet.

At first, it was great- getting to sleep in our own beds, not having to hide our powers or worry about being chased by the Edison Group- but the whole "sitting-around-and-waiting" thing is getting old fast. It's great that everyone is so kind and eager to help us, and I know I shouldn't be complaining, but at the same time, I can't help but think that we should be trying our best to figure out our next course of action, instead of sitting on our butts and doing nothing.

I know I should be trying to relax and let the more experienced members of our little misfit group work out the details, but I can't help but worry. We were planning to participate in a jailbreak- a rescue mission, where we would free all the imprisoned supernaturals, while at the same time, destroy the headquarters of the Edison Group; but no one has mentioned anything to us as of yet, and I'm getting anxious, because the Edison Group have my Aunt Lauren.

She was working for them, (she was the one who first brought me to them in the first place) but once she realized how dangerous they really were, she risked her life to help Tori and I escape. The last time I had seen her, she had been attacked from behind with a horrible spell, and lay bleeding on the ground. I was forced to leave her behind, and I now have no idea what the Edison Group could be doing to her…

"Chloe?" I jumped at the voice, before realizing it was just Tori. "You're not still moping around, are you?" She sat down on the couch next to me, and turned her whole body to face me.

"I'm not moping, Tori. I'm just…thinking."

"About what?"

"This whole messed up situation we're in."

"Ok then. Carry on." She got up and walked away, leaving me with my thoughts. However, a few minutes later, Simon appeared and sat down in the exact spot Tori had previously occupied.

"Tori says you're moping again."

"I'm not moping! I was just thinking about my aunt, and-"

"I would say that falls under the "moping" category." He said, cutting me off.

"She's my Aunt, Simon. How am I _not_ supposed to worry, when she risked her life to save me, and I have no idea what's happening to her?"

"Chloe, it's out of our hands for now. We'll just have to wait until Andrew's figured out the plan. Then we can save her and everyone else who's trapped in that miserable place."

"That's true I guess, but I still think we should-"

"For now, all we should do is focus on learning to use our powers and stuff. And, we could work on that comic / journal we started." He suggested with a smile, cutting me off again.

"Okay. Thanks for trying to help, Simon."

"No problem! You know you can come to me for anything, right?"

"Yup. Thanks", I said, before he leaned over and pulled me into a hug. Maybe I was imagining it, but it seemed like he was holding onto me longer than a friendly hug entitles…

And, almost as if on cue, Derek walked in. He surveyed the scene in front of him with something unidentifiable in his expression. "Oh…sorry to…interrupt." He murmured before quickly exiting again.

Something about his expression bothered me, and I got up to follow him. Derek and I had become really close over the last couple of weeks, and I knew he was hiding something. The night we arrived at the SSH (Supernatural Safe House, or "Supes", as Simon called it) Derek had sat in the meeting room with his dad's friend Andrew, and they had talked for hours. Whatever they had talked about had caused Derek to become even more reserved around everyone else, and I was starting to worry. I was halfway to Derek's room when Andrew, Tori, and Simon caught up to me.

"Chloe! I'm so glad we found you. I just finished speaking with a few of my contacts and some other group members, and we've produced a plan of action. We've decided it's time to follow through."


	2. Time

**Author's Note:** Phew! Chapter 1 was finally posted! I can't believe all the positive reviews I've gotten already! You guys are truly great- and because I'm a sucker for beautiful words, (or just nice comments) today's gunna be a two-fer day 

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. At all. Nada, zilch, niet. On a happier note, did you guys know writing and posting fanfics is illegal in 27 states? Hmmm… guess it's a good thing I live in Canada! 

**Time**

**Chloe POV**

I couldn't believe it. We finally had a plan-which meant we were on our way to rescuing everyone being held against their will by the Edison Group. I was so excited that I kept bouncing up and down in my seat, eventually becoming successful in pissing off Tori.

I halted my bouncing, apologized to Tori, and turned to Andrew, who was busy going over a diagram with Derek. "Andrew, when are we planning to do this?" I asked, hoping there wouldn't be anymore of the sitting around and waiting.

"I think it should be soon- sometime within the next two weeks. But Chloe, we have a lot to do before we're anywhere near ready."

"Like what?"

"Well, firstly, we have to gather supplies. Then, we need to gather information, which means there will be some ex-Edison Group members flying in from around the world to help us. That takes time. And lastly, you, Tori, Simon, and Derek will need to train. You guys still don't have full control over your powers, which means they could fail you at any given time; and we really can't afford to let that happen."

"What'd you mean, _train_?" I asked, internally cringing at the thought of having to raise the dead and disturb spirits just to get _better _at it…

"We're going to find other experienced supernaturals that possess the same powers as you do. That way, they can teach you the basics, and if possible, some more advanced techniques. Most supernaturals begin training when they're very young, which puts the four of you at a bit of a disadvantage, but I'm hoping your enhanced abilities will mean it's easier for you. You'll-"

"But what if it means it'll be harder?" Tori cut in. "You know, what if, the stronger it is, the harder it is to control…?"

"You're such an optimist Tor!" Simon declared, sarcastically of course.

Andrew ignored Simon's remark and turned his attention to Tori again. "We'll just have to wait and see. For now, you guys have to decide whether you actually want to do this. It'll be dangerous, and I can't guarantee anything, especially your safety." We all stared at each other, the same thought running through each of our minds. _When is our safety ever an issue for us? _

"You don't have to decide _right _now. Anyways, I think it's time you guys went to bed. We have a lot of work to do in the next couple of days." We all rose from our seats and headed for the stairs, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I was already on the third step when I remembered my earlier reason for wanting to talk to Derek. I descended the stairs again and walked into the kitchen, but stopped short at the door when I noticed what was going on inside.

Andrew and Derek were standing in the kitchen with their backs to the door. They were whispering, debating something. Andrew looked frustrated, and Derek; Derek looked…mad.

What could they be arguing about? What was making Derek so angry? I tried remembering the last time he had been angry since we had arrived at the SSH, but came up short. Derek had been relatively content the past couple of weeks. A few days ago, I even saw him crack a smile…I smiled at the thought, then shook my head to focus myself. I had to know what was going on!

I stepped into view and knocked on the doorframe, hoping they wouldn't stop their little conversation because of me. I was wrong. Andrew turned to me and pulled his face into a gentle smile. "Chloe, I thought you'd gone to bed."

"Yeah, I was about to, but I wanted to talk to Derek first." I explained.

"Well, we were finished here anyway. Goodnight Chloe." He turned to Derek, gave him a meaningful look, then stalked out of the kitchen.

I turned to Derek, who still had a hint of residual anger left in his eyes. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing. What were you guys talking about?"

"It was nothing."

"Common Derek. I can tell there's something bugging you."

His eyes softened a bit. "It's really nothing. So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

I knew he was changing the subject, but I answered regardless. "Earlier today, you seemed upset. I was going to ask you what was wrong, and-"

"There you are Chloe!" I could hear the smile in Simon's voice before I even turned around. I groaned inwardly. I could never talk to Simon without Derek interrupting, and vice versa; it was really starting to annoy me. "Chloe, there's this amazing movie on TV, I really want you to see it. It's by this really abstract director, but it's pretty good…" He launched into a long-winded explanation, and I found myself interested in what he was saying, until I looked around and realized that Derek was gone.


	3. Reality

**Author's Note**: You guys are so wonderful, I wrote you a poem. Here goes:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I'd stay up till 4am writing

Just for you! (:

Anyways, here's the third chapter. It's longer, 'cuz I feel guilty about being so lazy. Feel free to hate me forever (after that poem, who could?)

**Disclaimer**: If I owned DP, it wouldn't be as amazing as it is now.

**Reality**

**Chloe POV**

I was trapped; surrounded. There were rotting, deteriorating corpses crawling towards me- hundreds, or maybe even thousands. Surrounding me, circling, coming closer. Hundreds; maybe even thousands…I can't be sure, because the definition of corpse is unclear to me at this point. I was sure a corpse was constituted of bodies that still had some extremities attached, but the things inching towards me now looked nothing like complete bodies.

I felt like one of those stupid characters in a bad scary movie- you know the ones that just stand there while the killer comes closer, and the whole time you're screaming "RUN YOU IDIOT! YOU CAN STILL MAKE IT!" at the screen? Yeah, that was me.

But I was trapped. I gripped the cool stone of my pendant harder, willing it to help me out of that horrible situation, like my mother had promised it would.

" _Always wear it, no matter what. It'll keep the bogeymen away," _she had said.

Pftt. Yeah, right.

As I loosened my grip on the pendant, I felt something change. The stone had been relatively cool before. Now, it was warm- almost too hot, like when you accidentally grab a curling iron from the wrong end. I shifted my gaze to my hand, and knew something was happening, all right. The bluish stone had suddenly began glowing, illuminating the whole cemetery all on it's own. "What the-"

"CHLOE! WAKE UP!"

Crap. I had been dreaming.

But part of me couldn't help wondering… _What happens when that dream becomes reality?_

**Derek POV**

I heard Chloe screaming, and I was up the stairs so fast one of the pictures on the wall fell to the ground. I banged on her door with both fists, hoping the wood was strong enough to withstand the pressure.

Just then, my annoying inner voice decided to make an appearance. _What are you so worried about anyway? She's in the safe house, she has her necklace, and she doesn't need you anymore!_

_I know that, _I countered, _but she may be in trouble or something. It doesn't hurt to check. Why else would she scream? She's not the type of girl who gets freaked out when she sees spiders, so-_

I let that last thought trail off, because I realized arguing with myself was getting me nowhere, and Chloe was still screaming.

I finally gave up on banging on the door and just ripped the handle out of its socket. The door swung open, and something caught my eye. Chloe's necklace was _glowing, _and she had stopped screaming; she was muttering something unintelligibly, which seemed to be activating the talisman.

Whatever was happening, I knew it wasn't right, so I walked over to her bed and shook her as gently as I could, repeating "CHLOE, WAKE UP!" all the while. It eventually worked, and I let go of her once I saw her eyelids flutter. She has a frustrated expression on her face, and she dropped her gaze to her hands, before looking up at me. "I was screaming, wasn't I?" she questioned, although she probably already knew the answer.

"Yeah…it was pretty bad. What were you dreaming about anyway?" I asked, before sneaking a quick glace at her necklace, which had returned to normal.

"It was nothing, just…t-the dead guy from that old house," she said uncertainly.

I could tell she was lying, but I figured it wasn't a good time to ask, being in her room at night without permission and all- but I really wanted to know, because whatever she dreamed about had some weird effect on her necklace, and that could mean something. Chloe was obviously oblivious to that fact, and I was willing to bet she didn't want to make a big deal of it, but I had to ask. "Chloe, was that really what your dream was about?"

"Y-yeah, w-why?"

"You're stuttering again, and I know you only do it when you're lying or scarred."

"How'd you-"

"It doesn't matter. Now, what happened?" I allowed one of my signature glares to accompany my question, just for good measure. She stared at me, thought something over, then huffed.

"Ugh…fine, I'll tell you; just not now. And if I do, you have to tell me what was bothering you so much earlier." She smirked, and I almost laughed at the fact that she was attempting to blackmail me.

"No. It wasn't important, so just tell me now."

"Fine. I raised a bunch of zombies, they came after me, my necklace started glowing, the zombies wouldn't obey me; are you happy now? It's no big deal. I'm probably gunna have millions of stupid dreams just like it from now on."

"That's not funny. You shouldn't be allowing yourself to have these dreams- it could be dangerous."

"We went over this!" she sighed impatiently. "I can't control my dreams, no matter how much I wish I could."

"I know that, Chloe. I meant that you shouldn't let the fear affect you so much. These zombies and spirits, they can't hurt you! You have complete and total power over them, so there's nothing to be afraid of!"

She lowered her gaze back to her hands and practically breathed to herself, "Except _me_."

**Chloe POV**

After my little "it-was-all-a-dream" realization, I was finally able to focus my attention to two things: a) Derek was in my room, and b) he had the worst worried expression on his face, meaning my dream-screams had probably filtered through to my lips. Again, _crap! _

I knew why he was there- he had heard me screaming. But I could help but ask. "I was screaming, wasn't I?"

"Yeah…it was pretty bad. What were you dreaming about anyway?" he asked, the worried expression still distorting his face. I obviously couldn't tell him the truth about the demi-demon's "prophecy", so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"It was nothing, just…t-the dead guy from that old house." I could tell he didn't believe me, but I hoped he wouldn't ask ag-

"Chloe, was that really what your dream was about?" _Crap! Again!_

"Y-yeah, w-why?" I stuttered, hoping he didn't know about the-

"You're stuttering again, and I know you only do it when you're lying or scarred."

_CRAP!_ "How'd you-"

"It doesn't matter. Now, what happened?" he demanded, and I decided I could use the dream to my advantage.

"Ugh…fine, I'll tell you; just not now. And if I do, you have to tell me what was bothering you so much earlier." I smiled, because I pretty much knew I had won. I thought I saw him smile, before: "No. It wasn't important, so just tell me now."

I groaned, finally giving up. I would tell him the truth, just not the _whole _truth…"Fine. I raised a bunch of zombies, they came after me, my necklace started glowing, the zombies wouldn't obey me; are you happy now? It's no big deal. I'm probably gunna have millions of stupid dreams just like it from now on."

"That's not funny. You shouldn't be allowing yourself to have these dreams- it could be dangerous." He ranted, and I decided to cut him off before he could completely take off with the whole "Chloe-needs-to-be-more-careful!" bit.

"We went over this! I can't control my dreams, no matter how much I wish I could." I tried to keep the delivery smooth and even, but it sounded whiney in my ears.

He sighed. "I know that, Chloe. I meant that you shouldn't let the fear affect you so much. These zombies and spirits, they can't hurt you! You have complete and total power over them, so there's nothing to be afraid of!" He delivered his speech with a gentle voice, which surprised me, but as I thought back to the demi-demon's words, I couldn't bring myself to find comfort in his words. I sighed, dropping my gaze to stare at my hands. I was afraid. Not of what was out there; I could handle zombies and spirits. I was afraid of what might happen if I lost control. Almost as if my brain needed me to admit my fears, a whisper so low even Derek might not have heard it escaped my lips.

"Except _me_."

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I thought I'd try writing from Derek's POV, because he seems so dark and mysterious ;) Let me know if it was a hit or miss!**


	4. Acceptance

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! Another two-fer day, because really, I have no life. At all.

Oh, and I'd like to clarify a couple of things about the last chapter, because a few of you guys have sent me messages regarding this (btw, feel free to send me messages about any questions you have).

**Derek banging on the door: **Some of you were asking why he'd knock on the door instead of just going in, which he probably would do. Sorry about this-I just read over the chapter and realized I never actually said it- Chloe's door was **locked. **I don't know about you guys, but if I was in some weird old house with people I'd never met, I'd lock the door before going to bed.

**Derek thinking Chloe's "in trouble": **We all know that Derek feels like he's the assigned protector of Chloe, so when he hears her scream, he's not thinking as clearly as he should. Also, I didn't mean "in trouble" as literally being attacked or something; I meant it as she was being scared by a ghost or something she summoned…Sorry about the cruddy explanations, I don't really know how to put it into words…

Anyways, here's the chapter. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing.

**Acceptance**

**Derek POV**

Things were a little tense with Chloe the morning after her nightmare, but I had more important things to worry about, like telling Andrew what had happened with the necklace. I decided to seek him out before breakfast so that we could talk without interruptions.

"And then when she stopped screaming, she started muttering something instead, and it made the necklace glow…" I trailed off, stopping to study his expression. Andrew nodded thoughtfully before his eyes focused on something behind me.

"Good morning Chloe," he said politely. He returned his gaze to me and continued talking in a whisper. "Did you try asking her about any of this Derek?"

I felt like rolling my eyes at him. "She doesn't know about it. She just thinks her necklace was glowing in her dream. I wanted to tell you before telling her, because I know it would freak her out." He nodded again and opened his mouth to say something, closing it when the phone began to ring.

He walked over to answer it and began speaking in the same hushed tone to the person on the other end. I could tell he wasn't getting any good news, because he seemed much more discouraged after each brief pause. I focused in, trying to hear what the person was saying. _"It's like he disappeared off the face of the earth! Noone's heard from him since that boy's back was first broken. Even the Edison Group doesn't have him, and I'm pretty sure they never did either. Maybe he doesn't wanna be found-" _I stopped listening there, deciding I had had enough. If what this guy was saying was true, then we should stop concentrating our efforts to find my dad; we had more important things to do, like figure out how we were possibly going to free all those people trapped in Edison Group Headquarters. The sound of Andrew hanging up the phone brought me back to the kitchen, and when he spoke, I knew he was thinking along the same lines as I was. "That was one of my contacts from out-of-town. They were investigating your father's disappearance, and they said it's not looking too good right now. Apparently, our chances of finding him are slim to none." He conceded sadly. I nodded, acknowledging the fact that I already knew everything he said. He took my nod as a sign of acceptance, and continued: "Derek, I think it's time we told Simon we have to give up the search."

I heard Simon's sharp intake of breath, then: "How can you even say that?!" he demanded. "How could you give up on your best friend like that? He's alive and we're going to find him!" Simon was angry and hurt, and I felt guilty for giving up on my father when Simon still believed in him.

Andrew attempted to counter Simon's accusations with an explanation. "Simon, it's been a year now. If he was still alive and wanted us to find him, them we would have. If he was caught by the Edison Group…well, I'll be honest; they probably got rid of him a long time ago, and continuing this search is providing an unnecessary distraction. We have to focus on-"

Simon cut him off. "My dad is alive, and I'm going to find him. With or without your help." And with that, he turned around and trudged up the stairs. I watched as Chloe timidly got up and followed, then turned back to Andrew. "I know this is going to sound stupid, but I don't think we should give up on trying to find him. Not yet, anyway." I added.

Andrew nodded slowly, then stared at me for a minute before continuing the conversation. "There's something else I need to talk to you about Derek."

"What?"

"Well, I'm sure you've noticed as well, but you changed a lot these past few weeks. Your acne has completely vanished, and you don't smell anymore. I think it's almost time for you to Change."

"Yeah, I think so too," I admitted. It was true. My embarrassing acne was all gone, along with the BO I could never get rid of before. My almost-Changes were also becoming more frequent and distressing as well…

"There's a problem we have to deal with Derek," Andrew said. "Because of what happened with the Genesis project, I don't know what you'll be like when you actually _do _Change. You must know that staying here without knowing what'll happen puts everyone in danger. You have an important choice to make: stay here and risk all our lives or go hide out somewhere alone until you're sure about your abilities. It's your decision."

I had thought about this weeks ago, thinking about the pros and cons of each choice, and wondering what I should do. It would be dangerous to leave-the Pack would surely come after me if they caught my scent somewhere-but it was also dangerous to stay as well. If I stayed, I could be putting everyone's life at risk. I couldn't do that to Andrew, Simon, and Chloe… Tori, maybe; but I would NEVER do that to anyone, especially not Chloe. On the other hand, it would be horrible to leave without her. She was the only one who had helped me during my almost-Changes, and when she comforted me during those horrible hours, I felt almost human again…

While I had been thinking this over, my legs had somehow carried me to the stairs. "Where are you going?!" Andrew called.

"I have to talk to Chloe."

**Chloe POV**

Because of the whole nightmare situation the night before, things were a little awkward between Derek and I at breakfast. This morning, I had found him talking to Andrew again, but this time, they weren't arguing, and they both had the same thoughtful expression on their faces. I watched them talk for a few minutes and was about to ask what they were talking about before the phone began to ring.

Andrew strode over to the phone and picked it up. He began speaking in a low whisper, and I could tell whatever he was hearing wasn't good news; because his face fell measurably each time he paused to let the other person speak. Finally, after what seemed like hours, it was over, and he hung up the phone and turned to Derek. "That was one of my contacts from out-of-town. They were investigating your father's disappearance, and they said it's not looking too good right now. Apparently, our chances of finding him are slim to none." He admitted sadly.

Derek just nodded gravely, and I suddenly felt a stab of guilt. I was burdening him with my problems when he should be worried about finding his dad! Just as I was about to remind him of his responsibility to his father, Andrew spoke up. "Derek, I think it's time we told Simon we have to give up the search."

There was a long pause.

I hadn't heard him enter the room, but I definitely knew who was yelling.

"How can you even say that?!" Simon demanded. "How could you give up on your best friend like that? He's alive and we're going to find him!"

"Simon, it's been a year now. If he was still alive and wanted us to find him, them we would have. If he was caught by the Edison Group…well, I'll be honest; they probably got rid of him a long time ago, and continuing this search is providing an unnecessary distraction. We have to focus on-"

"My dad is alive, and I'm going to find him. With or without your help." And with that, Simon turned around and trudged up the stairs.

I followed Simon, knowing he would probably need someone to vent to. When I caught up to him in the hallway, he slid his hand into mine, and we walked silently to his room. He closed the door behind us as I seated myself on his bed, and when he turned around, I could see the pain and frustration in his eyes.

"Sorry you had to be there to see that Chloe. It just really makes me mad that everyone's giving up all of a sudden. It's like that one movie with the dad whose daughter is kidnapped, but he never gives up until he finds her…I forget the name… What was it called again?"

"_Taken_."

"Yeah, that's it."

We sat there for a while, saying nothing and letting the awkward silence take over. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, so I decided to try to find out more about Simon and Derek's dad. "So Simon, what's your dad like?" I asked. If what Simon and Derek had told me was true, he didn't seem like the type to leave behind his kids and run.

Simon looked up from his sketch before answering. "He's great Chloe, a really fun person to be around. You should meet him."

"Yeah… I would…" I teased. "But how would you introduce me? 'Hey dad, this is Chloe. She raises the dead sometimes. Isn't that weird?'" I smiled, mocking myself.

He smiled at that, then created his own version: "Hey dad, this is Chloe. If you wanna talk to grandma, she's your gal." He laughed as I gave him a look that said, _soooo not funny. _Something in his eyes changed, and he stopped to think for a minute."Ok, ok. How 'bout this one: Hey dad, this is Chloe…my girlfriend."

I stood there at a loss for words. Simon had just asked me to be his girlfriend, and yet…once the shock wore off, I realized I didn't fell excited, or outrageously happy, or even a little shy, like most girls feel around the boy they like. I felt…disappointed, because deep down, I knew I couldn't mirror his feelings, and I had been leading him on, even if it was unintentional. I knew what I had to do. "Simon…" I began, attempting to piece together words that would keep me from seeming like a horrible person.

He misunderstood my pause as an acceptance. "Chloe…" he breathed; and before I could even utter a single word, his lips were on mine. I tried pulling away, but something was stopping me: his hand was holding my head to his. I touched his cheek, trying to get him to release me, but he misunderstood again and stroked my cheek with his thumb. I vaguely heard the sound of a door creaking open, but ignored it, thinking Simon had locked the door when we first entered the room. He still hadn't let me go, and finally, as much as I hated myself for it, I stopped resisting and just waited for him to let go.

He released my head, and I pulled away, turning my head towards the door so I could make a quick escape. I needed time to figure things out, and-

Derek was standing in the doorway to Simon's room. He had seen me making out with his brother. And it was then I realized what the expression in his eyes had been the day before when he walked in on Simon and I hugging on the couch:

Pain.

**A/N:** Man, that was a hard chapter to write. Review, review, review!


	5. Confessions

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! I just discovered something amazing!

**I have superpowers too!**

Wanna know how I know?

When I said 'Review', a bunch of you guys reviewed like a minute later!

I feel special! Maybe if I tell Kelley Armstrong, she'll put me in The Reckoning?

Or maybe she'll just sue me for ripping off her books…? :S

Anyways, here's the next chapter, full of hot, steamy drama.

Or, you know, not. I guess you'll have to read it to find out *smiles mischievously*

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Darkest Power Series or any of its characters; although I sometimes wish I did, because then it wouldn't end with The Reckoning *tears up*. On the other hand, I'll be happy if Derek & Chloe end up together. If not, then me and **EternityAwaitsMe **are gunna track down Kelley Armstrong and…well, I'm not really sure yet. ;)

**Confessions**

**Chloe POV**

Derek turned around and walked into his room, slamming the door behind him. I followed him, stopping in the hallway in front of his door. When I saw the look in his eyes in Simon's room, everything became clear to me. There could be only one reason why his eyes had been filled with such intense pain when he saw Simon and I together:

Derek had feelings for me.

He liked me.

Maybe…he _lo-_

I shook my head, not allowing myself to finish the thought; but now that I knew, my annoying inner voice wasn't going to allow me to ignore it. _Don't kid yourself. He's crazy about you! Think about it. He's thrown himself in front of bullets for you! He protects you with every fiber in his being, and he would do it until his dying day. He flips out when you're in danger, and that look in his eyes? Total and complete heartbreak._

As much as I wanted to ignore the thoughts whirling around in my brain, I knew it was all true; at the same time, something else was tugging at me.

_You love him too._

No I don't!

_Yes, you do._

_Could you just maybe shut up a bit and let me figure this out on my own? _I practically spat at my inner voice. _No way!, it shot back. You've been tuning me out for way too long. _I was about to answer with a witty remark, but shook my head again, hoping to clear it of any crazy thoughts. Talking to ghosts was something I had to do; talking to myself was crossing the line.

I focused my thoughts again, and no matter how hard I tried to deny it, I knew I couldn't hide the truth from myself any longer.

I had feelings for Derek.

I liked him.

I liked that he was always there, looking out for me. I liked that if there was every a day I needed to talk to someone, I could go to him. I liked that he was safe, and always, always warm. I liked how we'd become so close, and I always wanted him around; and when he wasn't around, I felt like something was missing…

And, in a shining moment of understanding, I knew.

I loved him.

I had to tell him.

The only problem with that was, I'd already broken his heart. He'd seen me kissing his brother, and there was no way I could make that go away…but I could _try. _I pounded on the door, hoping, _praying _he would let me talk to him. I listened for the sound of his footsteps approaching the door, but they never came. Instead, I could hear him pacing around his room, slamming drawers and throwing things around. _What could he be doing? _I asked myself. I tried pounding on the door again, this time repeating 'Derek, open up!' a few times. A few minutes later, he opened his door.

He raced past me with a duffel bag in hand, keeping his head down so he wouldn't have to look at me. I stared at the duffel bag, knowing what it meant, but hoping I was wrong. Did I really hurt him bad enough that he needed to leave?

_Ugh, yeah, ya did._

Stupid inner voice.

_Thanks, _I growled sarcastically to myself.

I trailed behind him. "Are you… leaving?" I asked.

"Yes," he murmured, not looking at me.

"You can't!" I screamed at him. "The Edison Group will find you, and they'll-"

"I don't care. I'm leaving."

"Derek! You can't just _leave_!"

"I can, and I will. I can't be here anymore." His cracked at the end, which granted me another gut-wrenching dose of guilt.

"Derek_, please. _I'm begging you. Stay! We need you here! And I…I need you here." I admitted quietly. I knew he heard it.

"Why should I Chloe? I'm a danger to you guys. I have no idea what I'm going to become, and it's not fair for me to stay here and risk your lives." He delivered his speech in a calm, smooth tone, but I knew it was forced. "Besides," he continued. "You don't need me," he said, addressing my earlier confession. "You have Simon. He's everything you could ever _need. _He's perfect for you, and apparently, you've realized that already._" _The way he said it made me cringe, but at the same time, made my anger flare as well. Was he insulting me? _That bastard! _I thought._ I'll show him._ I was surprised at myself; I had never been this angry with anyone. I refocused and chased after him again.

"Yeah, that's right Derek! Make me feel guilty, because it makes you feel better about yourself, doesn't it?", I screamed at him as he walked out the door. I followed him out onto the lawn, determined to get my point across. He ignored me, quickening his pace so that I trailed farther behind. I decided to try a different angle, hoping I could get him to stop moving for a few seconds- enough for me to catch up and offer an explanation. "Enough crap Derek. You're not leaving to protect us; you're leaving because you're angry that Simon won."

He stopped for a moment, then resumed his walking at an even faster pace. "No," he mumbled monotonously, so quietly I almost didn't hear him. "It's not- it's not like that." He continued walking, and I was surprised. I had never heard him sound so…vulnerable.

I hated myself for it, but I had to continue. "Yes, it is. You're pissed off because you knew you had a shot, and you lost because you hesitated. You're pissed off because it's your fault, and you're leaving because you can't take it." He didn't stop, but he slowed his pace, as if he needed to conserve his energy in order to control his anger.

"You're wrong," he growled, and I knew I had struck a chord.

"No, I'm not. You're too proud to admit that you're angry; that it's your own fault that you're miserable. Newsflash, Derek! I'm not physic, and I'm not some friggin' super-genius. I couldn't have known if you didn't tell me, and since you didn't, it's your own fault! Take responsibility for your own actions for once!" I didn't know where the words were coming from, but it sounded good, so I continued. "You can't blame me for everything Derek!" I was behind him now, and I could hear his tortured breathing, which caused another fresh wave of guilt to crash down on me. I fought it, telling myself enough was enough, and I needed to get this out in the open.

"Dammit Derek! Just admit it! Have some guts and tell me!" My voice was pleading, and I was hoping he would stop walking, because the cover of the trees was thinning out, and we were pretty far from the house by now.

"Tell you what?" He growled, turning his head slightly- fighting the need to look at me- but returned to facing forward seconds later.

I stopped walking, deciding it was time for my secret weapon. I stood there gathering my courage, allowing my anger to subside. I stared at the ground and said it quietly. "T-tell me you love me Derek."

He stopped abruptly and spun around so fast I would have missed it if I blinked. His eyes were determined, and I knew what was coming. He would probably scream at me, denying it, telling me I was crazy, that I-

He cleared the 10 feet between us in less than 2 seconds, wrapping his arms around me and practically smashing his lips to mine. I was confused, but I quickly forgot why as he tangled one of his hands in my hair. His kiss was rough, and I could sense the desperation in it, so I kissed him back enthusiastically. At some point, I almost asked myself why I hadn't stopped him yet. I didn't, because I knew the answer to that question _before_ I even asked it: it felt _right, _like kissing him was something I should've been doing my entire life. And there was something else- an electric charge running through my body; originating from my lips and where he had placed his hands. I suddenly felt so much more alive. My senses were heightened, and everything was clearer, sharper, and more defined. It was, hands down, the most amazing thing I had ever experienced, and I never wanted it to end…

He loosened his grip on my hair and pulled back, resting his forehead on mine. "Chloe?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you." He allowed every ounce of conviction he had to accompany his words, and I could see the intense passion in his eyes. I had no doubt that what he was saying was true, and decided it was finally time to tell him.

"Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too, even if you are an idiot." He laughed, and was about to say something before he suddenly tensed up. He let go of me, positioning himself in front of me protectively, and sniffed the air. Understanding dawned on his face, and he began backing up.

"RUN!" he yelled. I bolted towards the safe house, hearing the sound of gunshots being fired behind me and praying Derek hadn't been shot. _Please God, let him be ok._

The Edison Group had found us. They had seen Derek and I because we had walked too far through the trees while arguing, and now they knew where the safe house was because of us. Everyone was in grave danger, _because of us. _

The house came into view, and I sprinted to the door as fast I could. I wrenched it open and ran inside, hoping to warn everyone of what was about to happen. I ran up the stairs, screaming my warning as loud as I could. "THE EDISON GROUP IS HERE! THEY FOUND US! EVERYBODY RUN! WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO ESCAPE!" I repeated this continuously, banging my fist on everyone's door. They all ran out into the hallway, screaming and running around trying to figure out what to do. "FIND A WAY OUT! HURRY!" I screamed to them, which caused everyone to run towards the stairs. In the middle of all the chaos, I ran to my room, grabbing the stack of bills on my dresser and my bankcard. I stopped to grab a sweater, then hurried out of the room, almost crashing into Derek in the hallway. "Chloe, let's go! Everyone's gone already!" We ran down the stairs and out the door, trying to find a way to escape without being seen.

We found the fence, which was lined with an enormous amount of shrubbery, making it impossible to see what lay on the other side. After stopping to test the air, Derek nodded, then boosted me up. I swung my legs over then dropped, hitting the group with a quiet _oomph! _He landed next to me a few seconds later and looked around. We were in another wooded area, the trees packed tightly together, making it impossible to see what lay ahead. Derek nodded, and I prepared myself for a long night.

We ran without ever looking back.

**A/N**: ***Singing to the tune of the Barney theme song:**

**I love you, you love me,**

**We all love Derek + Chloe!**

**On another less offbeat note, I'm gunna try my powers again.**

**REVIEWWWW!**


	6. Desperation

**Author's Note: **Hey guys!

I'd like to thank all my faithful reviewers for taking the time to review everyday, because you guys are what make me want to keep on writing- even when it's 4am and I'm dead tired. I can never thank you enough.

However... there is something that's bringing me down a bit. According to the 'traffic' tracker, there are over 200 hits per day per chapter to the story, which is, like, phenomenal, (*happy dance*) but there have only been 36 reviews since the story started! I'm not trying to guilt anyone into reviewing, but if you are following this story regularly, I really wanna know your opinions! I promise, I don't bite. (That's what _she_ said! ;) Hah, sorry. I couldn't resist.)

Ok, time to talk about the chapter. Many of you guys asked what Simon was doing during the last chapter, and today, you're gunna get your answer. (Simon POV! Tell me if I kept him in character.)

On another completely unrelated note, I just got back from the movies. I saw _My Sister's Keeper, _which is like, the saddest thing I've ever seen! Who else saw it?

**Christina, YOU BETTER NOT BE READING THIS!**

And finally, enjoy the chapter my lovelies. I'm going to attempt to make it as long as possible.

**Disclaimer**: All the Darkest Powers characters are locked in a dungeon in my basement.

Chloe: Hey, common, let us out. Please?

Me: I don't think so!

Derek: She's crazy. We have to find a way to escape.

Me: Don't make me bite you wolf boy!

Simon: Hey, common, that's not cool. Just let us out!

Me: No way in hell, you Harry Potter wannabe!

Tori: Let us out you freak! You don't own Darkest Powers or any of the characters! They all belong to Kelley Armstrong!

Me: You're right! *Breaks down in tears*

**Desperation**

**Simon POV**

What. The. Hell.

I just asked out the girl I've been crushing on for weeks. I even kissed her, and she didn't stop me- which I thought was a good sign, you know? I thought I was finally going to get a taste of a normal life; but it didn't work out that way. Apparently, someone's getting a kick out of turning my life into some kind of demented soap opera.

When I finally pulled away, I was ready to tell Chloe everything: How I'd wanted to do that for weeks; how hot I thought she was; how I hoped she would be my girlfriend, and how I hoped we could have a lot more repeats of today…

Instead, the minute I let go, she bolted out the door. She friggin' _ran, _like her life depended on it or something! That, my friends, is what you call a slap in the face.

_Whatever, _I decided. _I don't need her anyway. _I sat down on my bed and resumed sketching, pausing only to rip up a drawing of Chloe that I had placed face-down next to me. I was concentrating on getting the right amount of shading on some trees when I heard the sound of slamming drawers and other loud noises coming from Derek's room. _What the hell is he doing? _I wondered. I heard bangs on his door, but the sounds of destruction didn't stop. _Probably Andrew telling him to keep it down or something, _I decided. I got up and grabbed my I-pod off the dresser, hoping to stifle the noise coming from Derek's room so I could regain some infinitesimal amount of my concentration. A few minutes later I saw Derek run past my door, duffel bag in hand, being followed by …_Chloe?! _

I was about to get up to ask him where he was going when I remembered what had happened with Chloe earlier. _She made it perfectly clear she doesn't want you so don't stalk her. There's no sense in embarrassing yourself even more… _I sat back down on the bed and tried to clear my mind, putting my ear-buds in my ears and turning the volume up to full blast.

*******

About half an hour later, Tori decided to waltz into my room without permission. I took my ear-buds out of my ears and was about to tell her to 'get the hell out' before I registered the look in her eyes. She looked terrified.

"What's going on?" Now that my ear-buds were out, I could hear screams coming from the hallway.

"The Edison Group found us! They're coming! We have to leave!" She was speaking so fast her words were coming out in a jumbled mush, but I managed to decipher what she was trying to say. "Simon, _let's go!" _

The words finally clicked in my head, and I sprung into action, grabbing my backpack off the floor and my art supplies off the bed. I picked up my jacket, snatched my money off the dresser and followed Tori out of my room, down the stairs, and out the door. "Tori, where are Derek and Chloe?" I asked, realizing I hadn't seen them on our way out.

"Chloe's the one who warned everyone. I couldn't find her after that, but I did see Derek running _into_ the house after we all left."

_Weird, _I thought. _She sounds like she's actually worried about them… _I let the thought trail off; thinking now was the worst possible time to loose my mind.

We ran for a while, Tori leading the way. We eventually made it to a small clearing near some sort of creek and stopped to rest. "I think we're safe for now," I said, panting heavily. Tori nodded and plopped down on a boulder, holding her head in her hands.

After a while, she straightened up. "I can't believe they found us again. So much for being safe."

"Yeah, I know. It sucks."

"No shit, Sherlock. When did you pull that amazing observation out of your ass?"

" Tori, do me a favour and shut up."

"Whatever." She got up, walked to the other end of the clearing and sat down again.

I could tell it was going to be a long night.

**Derek POV**

The best thing to ever happen to me; and it had to happen right before we were attacked.

It was like I had a never-ending trade-off with the universe: every moment of happiness must be countered by a moment of fear, anguish, or terror.

We ran for what seemed like days, only stopping once- just long enough for me to test the air for the scent of any Edison Group cronies. A few hours later we came upon an old road and decided to follow it, knowing we needed to get as far away from the safehouse as possible. We were silent as we walked- Chloe was thinking hard about something while I was doing algebraic equations in my head. I was tempted to break the silence, but I didn't want to ruin the moments alone with Chloe by saying something rude or stupid, so I kept my mouth shut and tried to find the value of 'y' in the same equation as 'x' and 'n'.

Math couldn't keep me occupied for very long.

"Chloe, are you…okay?" I ventured.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I'm ok. How bout you?"

"Are you sure? You seem-"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried."

We were silent after that, and I knew I couldn't take it much longer. "Chloe, what's wrong? You haven't said anything for hours."

"Sorry…" I could tell she was holding back, but before I could ask again, something snapped inside her and she began to speak. "I just…can't believe it. The Edison Group found us again, and the worst part is, it's all our fault! We couldn't have exposed ourselves more thoroughly than if we waved flags and held up neon signs saying: "We're right here! Come and get us!" She dropped her gaze to the ground in front of her. I wanted to deny it- to tell her it would've happened anyway- but deep down I knew it was true, so I just hung my head and continued walking.

A few hours later the sun moved behind the clouds and darkness began surrounding us. I looked over to Chloe. She looked exhausted, and I knew it was time we stopped for the night. "I have a tent in my bag. We can set it up if you're tired."

She bit her lip and nodded, so I led her left into the cover of the trees lining the road. Twenty minutes later, the tent was up, and we were both yawning profusely. I stood outside the tent awkwardly, realizing it would be a bit of a tight squeeze with both of us inside at the same time. There would definitely be no room for personal space inside that tent…

I stood there for a few moments, contemplating what to do before looking over at Chloe. She was eyeing the tent the same way I had been- she had probably already figured out why I was reluctant to get inside- and she probably felt the same way. Someone had to say something or we would be standing around yawning all night.

I was tired, but one look at Chloe told me she was exhausted. She needed to sleep, and I wasn't going to stand in the way of that. "You sleep, I'll…stand watch."

She shook her head hastily. "I can't let you do that Derek. It's unfair. Besides, I don't want to sleep." She mumbled the last sentence quietly, and it reminded me of another time we had been hiding in the forest…

"You're afraid you'll raise something." It was more of a statement than a question, and I watched as she hung her head and sighed. "Yeah…" she finally agreed.

"Don't worry," I said. "I'll be right here. If anything happens, I'll wake you up." She thought it over, finally giving in and nodding reluctantly. "Okay, but only for a few hours. Then you have to wake me up to take your place." I nodded, knowing I wasn't going to do that and praying she would believe me.

She walked over to where I was standing and stood there uncomfortably. I could see the blush colouring her cheeks before she mumbled a quiet 'goodnight'. She inched forward slowly and hugged me awkwardly, not expecting me to hug her back. I was tired; so it took me longer to react, but just as she was about to pull away, I wrapped my arms around her tightly and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Goodnight," I whispered. She lowered her arms and tilted her head back, standing on her tiptoes in order to reach my lips. She kissed me softly, whispered another 'goodnight', then crawled into the tent. She was asleep within minutes.

*******

It must've been close to 4am when I felt something change. Chloe had been asleep, her breathing slow and peaceful, before it suddenly shifted, becoming tortured and ragged. Then I heard it again: the strange chant she had mumbled during her nightmare the night before. I turned around, realizing what was happening.

Chloe's necklace was glowing again, this time an electric-green colour radiating out from it in waves. The light was so powerful it illuminated the entire clearing we had set up our tent in. Someone driving by would see the light and come to investigate…I lunged towards the opening of the tent, knowing I had to wake her up before something happened.

If I thought I was getting anywhere near her, I was out of my mind. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get within 3 feet of her without being zapped by some sort of electricity and being thrown backwards. I tried it four times before finally giving up on shaking her awake and settling on yelling.

"CHLOE! WAKE UP!"

Nothing.

I tried again. "CHLOE, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!" I was shouting now, but there was still no response. Instead, the chanting continued, and the light began to get brighter.

It was then that I noticed the other sounds- something was coming, surrounding us, coming closer. I could feel the whole forest shaking beneath me.

Something was coming, and I had no idea what it was or if I'd be able to fight it off. We were in trouble, and the only way to get us out was to wake up Chloe- except something was keeping her asleep, making it impossible for me to get close enough to wake her up. I could hear the sounds of the _thing _coming closer, and I began to panic. There had to be a way to wake her up! The _thing- _whatever it was- was coming closer by the minute, and I was desperate.

I lunged at Chloe again. I felt the white-hot pain caused by the strange electricity surrounding her, and the pressure forced me backwards, but I kept pushing, not allowing it to thwart my efforts. The pressure was pushing me back, and I almost blacked out due to the electricity, but I was finally able to grab her arm. The minute I touched her, the 'force-field' disappeared but the chanting continued. I grabbed her other arm and shook her, pleading with her to wake up. She began to regain consciousness and her eyes opened groggily. "Derek? What's wr-"

"Chloe, you have to wake up! There's something out there! You did something, summoned something! There's-"

Unworldly sounds pierced through the peaceful silence of the night.

**A/N**: Well, I hope you enjoyed that.

Another cliffie for ya! Review if you love me :)

BTW, I have a question for everybody:

In _The Awakening_, Derek says that the saliva of a werewolf will

turn you into a werewolf. So…doesn't that make 'making out' a no-no?

Tell me what you think, because I'm confused :S


	7. Repetition

**Author's Note**: Hello darlings :) Thank you for answering my little question yesterday; it is very much appreciated (I wasn't going to change anything in the story because of it, I was just curious). Anyways, yesterday my A/N was sooo amazingly long, so I'm gunna try and cut it short today.

I just checked it, and this story has had over 250 hits per chapter, which is amazing, but still kinda disappointing when you think about the reviews. Anyways, if you love me- or, you know, the _story- _please take the time to review, review, review!

PS. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good book for me to read? I'm in desperate need of a new series to obsess about. Message me your suggestions, or just put em in with your reviews. Thanks!

PPS. I just realized Harry Potter comes out next week, and I'm kinda excited. Who's going on opening night?

That's it, I'm stopping now.

Disclaimer: (In fetal position, rocking back and forth because of what Tori said)

Me: I don't own Darkest Powers, I don't own Darkest Powers, I don't own Darkest Powers.

Simon: Hey, you think she's snapped?

Me: (**Stops rocking, turns head to face Simon, eye twitching) **SHUT UP!

Simon: Okaaayy….

**Repetition**

**Chloe POV**

It was the same dream this time, but something was different.

Something was _wrong._

The last time I had been forced to watch this nightmare play out, I was utterly terrified. I had screamed, searched desperately for possible escape routes and squeezed the pendant my mom had given me. Nothing had worked until the necklace started glowing, but that had been when Derek decided to wake me up. Now I was back, but this time, there was a strange atmosphere, and even though I knew what was coming, I wasn't afraid. I wandered around the graveyard, even pausing to study tombstones I found interesting; for whatever reason, I actually felt…safe.

That is, until I felt the sudden presence of something behind me. _Oh, please no, not again,_ I begged. That was pretty stupid of me- this reoccurring nightmare wasn't going to stop because I asked it nicely. I turned around slowly, hoping I was wrong about the direction this dream would follow.

I wasn't. About twenty feet behind me was a mob of decaying corpses. They were slowly making their way over to where I was standing, but I wasn't going to allow them to catch up to me- now matter how much I wanted it to be different from the last nightmare, I knew that in this dream, I would also have no control over any of the things I had somehow awakened.

My hand shot up to grab my necklace and I took off running, hoping that the throng of angry zombies behind me was all I had to run from. If there was another gang of corpses coming from another part of the graveyard I was going to be seriously pissed off…and you know, _dead meat_.

Moments later I reached a grassy hill. It was pretty steep, and I knew it would slow me down. _Great, a hill, _I thought sarcastically. _Who puts a hill in a graveyard? _I shook my head and continued running- figuring, as long as it got me farther away from those bodies, it didn't matter if it took a little extra effort. I began climbing, and a few minutes later was at the top.

I really shouldn't have looked down.

I was completely, utterly and totally surrounded. Hundreds of thousands of rotting, decaying, putrid bodies filled the graveyard, closing in around the base of the hill, trapping me. I knew I was done for, so I grabbed my necklace and squeezed as hard as I could.

Something seemed to change when my skin came in contact with the stone, causing it to heat up. The glowing followed, and I really hoped that it meant Derek would be waking me up soon. I closed my eyes and waited but nothing happened, so I opened them again and concentrated. The zombies were moving faster now, as it my necklace was some magnet luring them in. _How do I get these things to leave me alone? I don't remember summoning them, but if I did, why can't I control them? Why won't they obey me?_

I looked around, wishing the answer would just fall out of the sky. It didn't, so I tried clearing my head and thinking rationally. _Ok Chloe, think. If this were a movie, what would happen? The answer would be somewhere right in front of the main character's nose, and they would just need to stop freaking out long enough to figure it out. If you want to get out of here, you have to calm down. _

_Yeah I need to calm down, _I thought back, _but how am I supposed to do that when thousands of angry zombies are after me and all I have is this stupid glowing necklace?_ Just to illustrate my point further I held my necklace up in front of me. _Help me! _I begged. Hadn't my mother given me this necklace to protect me from evil spirits? Where was this so-called protection now? I brought it closer and held it between my hands, pleading with it to help me. I unclasped my hands and held them out connected, my palms facing upwards. The stone rested in the center, and when I looked down, I realized it had stopped glowing. It had stopped glowing, but I could see something inside of it that was still giving off light. I brought my hands up closer to my face to inspect the jewel and realized that there were words contained inside. These words would have been invisible if not for the mysterious light the necklace had given off, and even now, they were difficult to make out. The words were strange, written with strange symbols in some unknown language, but as I studied them carefully, their meaning suddenly became clear to me; I knew then what I had to do.

"CHLOE, YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP!"

I opened my eyes, not as surprised as I had been the last time he had woken me up. After all, I had known it was a dream since the beginning, hadn't I? Weird though; it had seemed like more than a dream…

I didn't understand why Derek was freaking out; I hadn't been screaming, had I? No, I hadn't- so what could be wrong?

"Derek? What's wr-"

I could see the terror in his eyes. I jumped up, all trace of exhaustion suddenly gone.

"Chloe, you have to wake up! There's something out there! You did something, summoned something! There's-" A terrifying sound filled the clearing, and it was like nothing I had ever heard before. Even that poor bird in the forest behind Andrew's cabin hadn't even come close to making this sound, and it had been shot multiple times…

"What's out there?" I asked him, suddenly terrified.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, you summoned it somehow. Your necklace was glowing, and you were repeating something in a weird language, and I couldn't get near you before something pushed me back… Chloe, whatever's out there, you have to release it before people come to investigate the noise."

I nodded and slowly made my way to the mouth of the tent, mentally preparing myself for what I was about to see.

_Well, you did ask when it would all become real, so here's your answer. _

We were surrounded by thousands of zombies, not limited to the human kind. There were animals of every shape and size, inching towards the tent on half eaten arms and legs. The human corpses were worse, some without heads and others with limbs attached only by a few pieces of leftover skin. It was the most repulsive, sickening thing I had ever seen, and I almost puked before remembering I was a necromancer and had seen much worse. Shaking my head to clear it, I focused instead on the situation. If I could control these zombies, I could make them stop long enough for me to be able to release them. Something inside me told me it wasn't going to work, but I tried anyway.

"Stop!"

Nothing.

They seemed to be moving closer, coming towards me faster, surrounding me…

"Chloe, why won't they obey you?"

"I don't know!"

I was panicking then, because I knew we would never be able to fight them off.

"Chloe, your necklace!" I looked down at it, and realized for the first time that it had stopped glowing; and just like in the dream, I could make out words and symbols etched into the face of the jewel. The meaning of the words entered my mind, and for the second time that night, I knew what I had to do.

I began repeating the words over and over again. One word blended into the next, and it began to sound like a hum. It was long, complicated, and outlandish, and I knew that had I not possessed any supernatural ability, I wouldn't have been able to say it- let alone think it.

I don't know how long I did it, but I knew it was working because the sounds of movement stopped. When I opened my eyes after what seemed like hours, it was light out, and nothing in that clearing was moving. The only thing I could hear was the sound of Derek's breathing.

The strange words and symbols disappeared from my mind, and everything went black.

**A/N:** Phew! That was difficult! Sorry about the length guys, but sometimes, a short chapter is better than a long one (I'm hoping this is one of those times). Plus, you can only include so much description in a story before it starts to get boring… Anyways, please review!


	8. Repetition II

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I have absolutely nothing to do today, so I figure, "hey, why not make it another two-fer day?" So, yeah… Today you guys get two chapters instead of one! Isn't that exciting?

Anyways, I'm gunna talk about the chapter for a bit, but after that, who knows? I might go off into a little bit of a babbling rant or something; if I do, feel free to just skip ahead :)

I'll start with the last chapter. Once again, I'm sorry about the length. I know it was a bit short, but I really didn't want to stretch it out any longer than it needed to be (you'll find out why today).

In regards to today's chapter: I've been waiting to write this chapter for a loooong time. When I finished reading The Awakening, this scene kind of materialized in my head. It also contains some ***POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR THE RECKONING*** so if you don't want to know, you can skip this chapter altogether; it won't affect the rest of the story. If not, I might not even be right about any of it, so you can still read it anyways!

I've also decided to start leaving questions at the beginning of each chapter. Why? Because I'm bored and I wanna know your opinions about random topics. Here's today's: Around what times do you guys usually read my updates everyday? Depending on when, I can start changing when I update to make it easier for everyone. Lemme know!

I think that's all for today. Hopefully I don't completely screw up this chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Me? Own DP? *Scoffs at the very idea* That stuff all belongs to Kelley Armstrong!

Simon: Then why are we still here?!

Me: I thought I told you to SHUT UP!

Simon: Okay then…

**Repetition  
Part II**

**(Aunt) Lauren POV**

I was trapped, caged like an animal in some under-funded public zoo. Granted, my accommodations were much better, but they didn't change what had happened- what I had done. I had brought my niece straight to these wicked people. I had gotten her involved with them before she had even been born. It didn't matter that I hadn't known about what they were doing; I had gotten her into this, and it was because of my obliviousness that she had almost been killed. Chloe had trusted me, and I had done nothing but hurt her. She reminded me of my brother and sister in so many ways; she thought of me as a mother, and betraying her had made me feel sick to my very core. That's why I had helped her escape…I let my thoughts drift back to that day, remembering the look in Chloe's eyes when I had told her to run without me and wincing at the memory of the pain Diane Enright's spell had caused. I had blacked out after it hit me and woken up here- I knew it was a holding cell for test subjects, but the only door had been locked. _Looks like I'm getting treated to the experience…_

I jumped at the sound of the door being unlocked and watched as Marcel Davidoff strode into the room looking pleased. "Good morning, Lauren. How are we doing today?" I scoffed at his attempt at friendliness, wishing he would stop trying to make me feel better about all of this.

"Enough with the crap Marcel. You and I both know you only grace me with your presence when you want to ask me to help you locate the children." His smile disappeared, replaced by a slight frown.

"You know Lauren, this," he waved his hand, referring to my cell, "would all go away if you would just come back to your senses and help us find Chloe."

"Never," I growled. He would never get me to betray her again, even if it meant I had to forfeit my own life to protect her. "Well, then it seems we have a problem. I'm worried about Chloe's safety and you're not being co-operative. Tsk tsk tsk. I thought you'd want to find her, seeing as this new development almost certainly means a problem for little Chloe"

He smiled then, knowing he had struck a chord. I forgot about my anger for a moment and looked up at him. "What new development?" I questioned shakily.

"Well, if you must know…it looks as if the werewolf Chloe was traveling with- you remember Derek, don't you Lauren? – has decided to make your little niece his mate." His smile grew as he finished his little speech, which made me want to slap him even more than I had before.

"You're lying." I scowled at him, letting him know I hadn't believed a word of it. Chloe would never allow herself to get involved with that monster…

"No, I'm not. Apparently they ran into a few werewolves who were kind enough to delivered the news straight to us. Your niece has been quite busy these past few weeks- she even managed to get herself in trouble with The Pack." My expression must've shown some of my confusion, because he stopped to explain. "Derek, you see, is a renegade werewolf on Pack territory." My eyes widened in horror. I knew what that meant. He nodded and smiled at me again. "Good; you finally see the reason for our urgency. We need to find your niece before it's too late, and you're going to help us."

"I'll never help you. What you're doing here is inhuman, Marcel. I expected more from you. What would Jacinda think?"

His eyes hardened, and what I saw terrified me; his eyes had turned blood red. He leaned in so close I could smell his _Old Spice_ deodorant. "Don't you EVER!" he paused, allowing himself to calm down. "Talk about Jacinda. She-"

"She was my friend, Marcel, and she wouldn't have wanted this for her daughter... _Your _daughter." His face fell, and I almost felt guilty- _almost._

"Jacinda was…confused." He mumbled. "She didn't realize what the advantages could have been for Rachelle. She could have a normal life, unlike the rest of us, not having to deal with the responsibilities of uncontrollable powers. I did this for _her, _to be able to make her life better. What father wouldn't do everything he could for his children? For the love of his life…?" He trailed off, and I realized he was no longer speaking to me. I waited in silence as he attempted to rationalize his choices. "I did a hell of a lot better than Kit. I knew what I had to do to help my child. _He_ thought it'd all go away somehow if he left, like we were some kind of bad influence or something!" He chuckled before continuing. "And what about Diane? That power-hungry bitch is only here because she wants to feel important... She purposely seduced a wizard, when she KNEW what would happen if the two races mixed! "

He stopped then, realizing I was still in the room. "Tell me Lauren, did you ever bother asking Kit about how his wife died?"

"Why would I? She was human, and he wasn't ready to talk about it yet. Besides, I had only known him for a few weeks when it happened."

"You missed out on quite the story! Yes, Kit's wife was human, but she was _killed _by a supernatural."

"Who wa-?"

"Did you ever read Victoria Enright's file?" he asked me abruptly. I stared at him, confused.

"In that file is the name of Tori's real father. That human Diane married was just a spot holder. Tori's real father was a supernatural, and Diane killed his wife when he told her he wouldn't leave her."

I stared at him. The things he was telling me refused to make any sense, and I was getting sick of his riddles. What did Kit's wife dying have to do with Diane Enright…?

Then it all clicked.

"Diane killed Kit's wife, didn't she? But wait, that makes Kit…" I trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought.

"Tori's father." I stared at him, horrified.

"That explains why Tori is so powerful, and why Diane became so bitter towards her daughter."

"Yes. And the funny thing is, no matter how hard Kit tried to run from it all, in the end, brother and sister were reunited. It makes you believe in happy endings, doesn't it?" He chuckled again, and I felt an overwhelming urge to kick him where it would really hurt.

The smile returned to his face. "The next time you want to think of me as some sort of monster, Lauren, remember that I did this for the good of my daughter. The real monsters are the ones who pretend they are better than what they are, who are doing this out of spite. My sole mission, from the very beginning, was to carry on Samuel Lyle's vision of creating a better life for supernaturals. It was all for the greater good."

That did it.

"You call THIS a better life Marcel?! Experimenting on innocent children? Killing them when they didn't comply with your idea of 'rehabilitation'? Are you really that delusional, to think that you've actually made these children's lives better? As for Chloe, if my memory serves me, you not only drugged and trapped her here, but you went as far as shooting at the girl! What made you think _that_ was 'for the greater good'?"

"Those were…complications that had to be dealt with." He was avoiding my eyes, and I knew I was getting to him.

"No, they weren't. There was no reason to endanger those children's lives. You should've jus-"

"ENOUGH!" he thundered. "You are nowhere near innocent Lauren. You played a large part in this as well. Weren't _you _the one who quaintly suggested to your sister that we could help her? Weren't _you _the one that brought your niece here the moment she rediscovered her powers? Weren't you the one who brought her back here after she escaped? You brought the girl straight to us; you practically gift-wrapped her!" He smiled smugly, as if expecting me to burst into tears and beg him for forgiveness.

"Yes, I was the one who brought her here, because I thought you were doing the right thing. I thought you wanted to help people like my brother, whose powers were endangering their lives; but this? I never in my wildest dream thought you were capable of this, Marcel. Never." I shook my head slowly to illustrate the point further.

"Enough of the guilt-trip Lauren. Just help us find those kids and we'll let you out. Tell us where Chloe would go if she was on the run. Then, you can go back to your mediocre life and pretend none of this ever happened." He sounded angry, but I wasn't going to give in.

"Never. And Marcel? A 'mediocre' life is far better than a tainted one." His eyes narrowed and he leaned in to say something, but stopped when his cell phone began to ring. He straightened up and unclipped the phone from his belt, turning his back to me before answering. "Hello? Yes…That's wonderful! Yes, I'll be there soon…Goodbye." He smiled at the phone in his hands before clipping it to his belt and turning to face me. The smile had returned.

"Well Lauren, it looks like we won't be needing your help today after all! We've found the children, and ironically, it's all thanks to your little niece."

He got up, turned around, and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

**A/N:** What'd you guys think? Am I crazy, or did you agree? If you want, I can tell you the page numbers of the little hints in The Awakening that make me think some of these things will be revealed in The Reckoning. Anyways, there will definitely be more two-for-one days like this one if you guys **REVIEWWWW!!!!**

BTW, **this chapter takes place before the Edison Group finds the safehouse****; **that phone call he got happened right after the Derek & Chloe kiss.

What did you guys think of the Aunt Lauren POV? Was she OOC?

**TALK TO ME PEOPLE! I'M SO LONELY! :(**


	9. Tolerance

**Author's Note**: Hayyy guys! Thanks for responding to my question yesterday! I'm gunna start writing updates earlier, although it probably won't make much of a difference, because most of you guys read em before noon…

Anyways, I'd like to thank everyone who reviews regularly. I know I can always count on you guys to tell me what you think and I'm so incredibly grateful for it. I haven't been getting a lot of reviews lately, and it's good to know there's still someone alive out there.

And now on to chapter discussions: Yesterday's chapter is probably one of my favourites so far. Most of you guys were surprised at what my theories were, but if you wanna know where I got the ideas from, message me and I can send you the page numbers from each book. Also, although I said that I wasn't going to be incorporating last chapter into the rest of the story, I've decided I should, so if you haven't read it yet, please do so.

**CHRISTINA, DON'T READ THIS UNTIL YOU FINISH THE SUMMONING AND THE AWAKENING OR I WILL NOT HESITATE TO HURT YOU! :D**

Question: Has anyone read Kelley Armstrong's other series? If so, are there any characters that appear in DP that originate in the other series?

Another Question: Why is noone reviewing anymore? Is it something I did? Something I typed? Do I offend? Anyone?! Is it because I ruined the story somehow? Answer me please! I'm lonely! :(

**Disclaimer: **

Chloe: Hey, if you're gunna keep us here, at least give us some food or something. We're hungry!

Me: No way! Not until Kelley Armstrong hands over the ownership rights to DP!

Tori: You could never own DP! You'd screw up the whole story!

Chloe: Yeah! You don't own us!

Me: *Bursts into tears*

Stop hurting my feelings!

Derek: Why should we? You're keeping us locked down here for no reason for the last 4 chapters!

Me: *Stops crying, gives Derek a dirty look*

Don't make me get the muzzle out again!

**Tolerance**

**Chloe POV**

I was in that funny place between dreams and reality when I began hearing the voices.

"Such a lovely girl. It's a pity she lacks compassion-disturbing every soul within an 8-mile radius… I have a grandson about her age who would have been delighted-"

"Now Maud, don't you go trying to set him up again! You remember what happened last time, don't you?"

"But that was such a long time ago, William! This one looks_ much _more promising!"

I finally realized they were talking about me and forced my eyes open to look around. I was in a tent again, the dull orange colour indicating it was the same one Derek and I had brought with us; but who where those people outside, and where was Derek? I scanned my surroundings, hoping to see some sign of a note of some sort explaining where he had gone. Another search of the tent confirmed my belief: there was no note; however, my necklace-which I was sure I had been wearing when I fell asleep- was hanging from one of the interior tent poles. _That's weird. I thought I was wearing it when I fell asleep… _I shook my head, deciding that there were more important things to worry about, like where Derek could be and who those people outside my tent were.

I climbed out of the tent slowly, hoping that whoever they were, they weren't associated with the Edison Group in any way. I really didn't have the energy or the ability to run for my life this early in the morning… The sky outside the tent was darker and less cloudy than it was in mornings, so I corrected myself. _Or this early in the afternoon. _

"Oh look William! She's awake!"

"Would you look at those eyes? Bluer than the ocean!"

"What a darling child!"

"D-Derek?" I called his name, hoping he hadn't gone off somewhere without me.

"I'm right here!" he called back. I spun around and found myself standing face-to-face with him.

"Oh! I thought you'd… left or something. Never mind…" I looked down, hoping he hadn't noticed me blushing feverishly.

"Chloe, are you feeling ok?"

"I feel fine. Why?"

He hesitated before answering. "You've been out for a while. I was worried…."

A while? Surely I hadn't been asleep for more than a few hours…? "How long is a while?" I asked.

"A few days."

"A few days?! What could have possibly caused me to sleep for so-"

The events of that night suddenly came flooding back. The nightmare, the zombies, my necklace…

"Oh." I said quietly.

"Yeah, you were pretty out of it. I didn't wanna wake you up, but I took your necklace off, just to be safe."

"Ok. So, who're those people over there? They've been talking about me for a while, and it's getting kind of annoying." He looked at me, then at the spot I was pointing to.

"Chloe, I think they're-"

I nodded, realizing my mistake. "So, what exactly happened that night?" I ventured carefully, hoping to change the subject.

It worked. Derek launched into a detailed explanation of what had occurred after I had fallen asleep. While he spoke, I tried matching up the events in the real world with the parts of my dream. In this way, I managed to figure out the summoning of the spirits had happened after I had climbed the hill, and my necklace had stopped glowing in my dream once Derek had managed to grab my arm. All in all, the whole thing was starting to freak me out.

"So you're saying some freaky glowing force-field kept you from touching me? And it _threw _you backwards?" I was skeptical. Necromancer powers are one thing, but magical force fields…? What was next?! A magical flying unicorn named Cadillac?

"Yeah." He grumbled. "You know, you really scared me Chloe."

"Yeah Derek, a mob of angry disobedient zombies will do that to ya " I said sarcastically.

"Yeah, right" He said, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like 'I was worried about you'. I smiled before asking my next question.

"What could have caused this to happen? I mean, it's never happened before, has it?" I looked up at Derek, who was trying unsuccessfully to avoid eye contact.

"DEREK! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I didn't want to worry you before asking Andrew."

"You didn't want to _worry me_?! Seriously?!" I looked over at him- his head was down, like he was genuinely sorry about what he'd done. "I'm sorry, really. I just didn't want to freak you out or anything." The tone of his voice reminded me of the time I had accused him of only putting forth a half-assed effort to find me, and I immediately felt guilty.

"It's alright Derek. I just wish you would've told me sooner, so we could have avoided this whole mess…"

"I meant to, but it kind of…slipped my mind after the whole Simon thing..." He trailed off, making me feel both guilty and embarrassed at the same time.

"Yeah, well, that's what you get for not knocking!" I teased, hoping he would change the subject.

"Yeah, I guess I should from now on..." He dropped his gaze to the small fire he had managed to build in front of him, and I knew what he was thinking about: If he had knocked, he never would've found Simon and I together. He would never have stormed off, and I wouldn't have needed to follow him…

The Edison Group would never have found us if he had just knocked, and-

I didn't let myself finish the thought, knowing it was probably already eating him up inside. Instead, I scooted closer to him, laying my hand on his when I was close enough.

"Hey, you know I didn't mean what I said before. It's nobody's fault they found us. They were outside that forest for a reason. They probably would have found us sooner or later."

His lips hardened into a tight line, and I knew he didn't believe a word of what I had just said. _Fine, if that's how he wants to play, then…_ I sat up on my knees, placing both of my hands on either side of his face and staring at him with the most irate glare I could muster up. "Hey! Stop blaming yourself for everything! That's MY forte! Do you hear me, Souza?" He laughed then, and I leaned in to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.

Or at least, it was _supposed to be_ a chaste kiss on the lips…

"Do you see that William? Children these days! They have no sense of self-restraint whatsoever! Throwing themselves at each other! Why in my day-" I pulled away, trying as hard as possible not to laugh. This was the last place you'd expect to get a '"In _my _day!"' lecture. This place would be the perfect location for the set of a horror film…

I looked around and shuddered, remembering everything that had happened in this clearing. "Hey, do you think we could start walking again soon? I really don't want to spend another night here. It's kind of creepy knowing how many bodies are here, you know?" I explained, hoping I didn't sound like too much of a girl.

"Yeah," he agreed. "We should start packing up. I've stared at these trees enough to last a lifetime." We stood up and began moving around, packing away the tent and other various items like blankets.

About thirty minutes later, I realized something was wrong. Although it was relatively cool outside, Derek's face was bright red. I knew what was going to happen, but I still silently cursed his werewolf genes for the bad timing. Couldn't this have waited until we left this corpse-invested section of forest? I looked over at Derek again, watching him unassembled the tent. He had taken off his sweater earlier, and I could see his muscles rippling- getting ready to Change. He stopped then, sitting down on a rock and putting his head between his hands. He groaned and looked up at me. "Chloe?"

I nodded, acknowledging the fact that I knew what was about to happen. "I'm right here."

**Tori POV**

After three days alone with Simon, I was ready to snap.

After spending the night in that clearing we had found behind the house, Simon had suggested we start searching for everyone. I told him it was a bad idea- that the Edison Group would still be searching for everyone, but _no- _he wanted to go search for Derek. I had laughed when he said that, knowing who he really wanted to search for: _Chloe. _

_Poor girl, _I thought. Over the past few weeks I had actually come to like Chloe- once I had figured out her goodie-two-shoes, 'everyone counts!' attitude wasn't just an act. I felt bad for her, knowing both Simon and Derek had their eye on her. It was almost poetic, really…

"Yooo Whoooo! Earth to Queen Biiiiitch!" Simon was waving his hand in front of my face, trying to get my attention.

"The next time you put your hand anywhere near my face, I'll blow it off." He snatched his hand back, knowing I wasn't kidding. In the past few days I had used my powers against him multiple times, finding creative ways to shut him up, like somehow causing his tongue to stick to the top of his mouth. I almost smiled at the memory.

"God Tori, I was just gunna suggest that we should start moving again. You were the one that said staying in one place too long could be dangerous." It was true, I had said this, which was why we walked for a few hours everyday before settling in for the night; I wasn't going to take any chances on getting caught by the Edison Group again. _Never again…_

"We've already walked enough today! I'm tired, and I say we rest here for the night." I didn't mean to snap at him, but he was getting on my nerves, and I was tired.

"Fine, whatever you say, your Highness." He mumbled something afterwards that sounded a lot like a string of profanities, but I ignored him.

I was just about to fall asleep when I heard a tortured cry pierce through the silence of the forest. I shot up, scanning the clearing for the source of the sound; it had seemed like it came from far away, but I wasn't taking any chances. "Simon!" I hissed. He was still snoring, so I walked over to where he had fallen asleep and hit him in the face.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"I needed to wake you up. There's something out there." The cry sounded again, and I felt bad for whatever was making the horrible noise. Simon stiffened, turning to face me.

"What?" I asked impatiently. His eyebrows knotted together for a moment before he jumped up suddenly.

"I think- I think its Derek!" He was standing now, preparing to search for the cause of the noise.

"How can you be sure?"

"I've heard that noise every few days while we were staying at the SSH. When I asked Andrew about it, he said it was just Derek going through partial Changes. Let's go!" I stared at him, hoping he was kidding.

"What if you're wrong? What if it's some wild animal? Or even worse, some zombie animal Chloe managed to raise?" He turned around. "If it's a wild animal, then you can take care of it, no problem. If it isn't…well, then we've found Chloe." I nodded, accepting his rationalization. "Fine. Let's go."

After following it for half an hour, we knew we were close to finding the source of the distressing sound. We followed the sound left into the forest, stopping when we reached a clearing. There was a fire burning brightly, and sitting a few feet behind it was Chloe. She had her back turned to us, but we knew it was her. She was sitting on a rock, her arm stretched out in front of her. When we moved closer, we realized what it was.

It looked like a wolf, but there were some definite human characteristics. Whatever it was still had arms, although they were extremely hairy, and although the ears and nose (or snout) were wolfish, it was still Derek's face.

"Chloe!"

She turned around, and her face exploded into a smile. "Tori! Simon!"

**A/N: YAY! They're together again! :) REVIEWW!**


	10. Expectations

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! My author's notes have been incredibly long lately, so I'm just gunna talk about the chapter briefly and then I'll get right into it.

Last chapter was pretty fun to write. I hope you all enjoyed the little Chloe & Derek moment (I know I did.) And for those of you who asked, those weird people talking in the background were ghosts. I thought they were kinda funny, didn't you? :) Anyways, I'm really excited about today's chapter, because (YAY!) the gang is finally together again. I'm gunna be jumping POVs a lot today, because I want to be able to show where everyone's head is at during this chapter.

Question #1: Has anyone read Kelley's e-serial about Simon and Derek's back-story? I just started reading it today, and it's amazing! If you wanna know where to find it, just message me and I'll send you the link.

Question #2: Who do you guys think should play Chloe, Derek, Simon, and Tori if there's ever a movie made? (Btw, does anyone know if there is gunna be a movie made? Has it been announced?)

**Disclaimer: **

Me: Guys, I think it's time I let you out. I'm really sorry about all this. I understand now that I don't own Darkest Powers.

Tori: Finally!

Simon: Yeah!

Me: *Holding cell door open*

Go head guys!

*Everyone starts making their way towards the door*

Me: *Slams the door*

Psyche! I can't believe you fell for that again!

Derek: We kinda figured you'd stop after 27 tries…

**Expectations  
Part I**

**Derek POV**

The pain was excruciating, and I prayed today would be the last time I would ever have to endure this kind of torture. Another convulsion shook me and my back arched again, and I wondered how it could be physically possible for someone to be in so much pain and not be dead. _It isn't. _My subconscious whispered to me. _But then again, you're not exactly the poster boy for 'physically possible', are you? _I heard a crack and howled again as I felt my spine rearranging itself inside my body. This hell couldn't last much longer, could it?

I groaned, and Chloe reached down and rubbed my shoulder soothingly. "It's all right, you're doing great," she whispered. I was glad she was there with me, but at the same time, I feared for her safety. What if I completed the Change tonight? What would I become? Would I remember who she was? Who _I was? _Or, would my animal instincts take over? Would I hurt her...? Images of Chloe injured and near death filled my mind, and my stomach heaved as I thought about her lying dead and unmoving on the forest floor…

_No!_ Something inside me reassured me she'd be all right. _You'd never hurt her. _But how could I be sure? I couldn't, which meant she needed to leave if it got bad. "Chloe," I chocked out. "If it starts to seem like I might finish this, you-"

"I'm not leaving Derek, no matter what." I shook my head furiously, trying to get her to co-operate, but there was finality in her eyes that I was almost afraid to dispute. She brushed my hair back from my forehead, and I almost forgot the pain for a few minutes.

_Almost _being the operative word here.

I could feel my ears moving up my scalp and my face elongating as the hours dragged by. _Please, let this be over soon. _

Nothing happened for a while after that, and I was hoping that it was over. I was so tired, and my arms were screaming at me, telling me they could no longer support my weight. "I think it's over now," she whispered, relief saturating her voice. My back arched again as my body attempted to reverse the process, causing the bones to crack and pop. I could also feel my fingers resorting to their original forms: the claws shortening and my fingers sprouting out again. The pain was so intense that I almost didn't notice the new scents wafting through the air. One of them was familiar, and the other I would know anywhere- Simon. I opened my mouth to tell Chloe, but before I could say a word, I was vomiting again. (**A/N: Lovely, yes, I know**.)

**Simon POV**

I knew it was my brother out there because I had cast the tracking spell my Dad had taught me. I had gotten better at that sort of thing in the last couple of weeks, but I didn't want Tori to know how good I had gotten yet. Plus, she'd probably blackmail me into teaching her the spell, which I _really _didn't want to do. Ever.

I knew it was Derek, and judging by the howls coming from the forest, it sounded like he was in a lot of pain. Deep down, I hoped that Chloe was with him to ease some of it. She was the only one who had ever been with him during a partial-Change, and I knew it made him feel better to have her there. I felt a twang of guilt, remembering all the times I hadn't been there for my brother when he needed me, all because I had been too disgusted to help him. How many times had he watched me do my needles, just to make sure I was all right?

"What are you thinking about so hard? You look like you're gunna bust an artery!" I flinched at the sound of Tori's voice as it brought me back to the forest. I turned to glare at her, and she had an amused look on her face. I returned my gaze to the forest in front of me, trying to keep myself from running into any trees. "Do you see that?" she asked. "It looks like a fire!"

I followed her as she increased her pace and ran towards the light. A few minutes later, we broke through the trees and found ourselves in a clearing. Someone has set up a tent, and the fire we had seen before was crackling merrily. A few feet behind the fire was Chloe, seated on some kind of rock with her arm out in front of her. But where was Derek…?

Once we were closer, I realized what Chloe's hand was resting on. It looked like a huge dog, but there was definitely something Derek-ish about that thing. It had the same green eyes, the same face, and I could see his arms underneath all the hair. I knew it was him, but it was kinda strange seeing my brother in his almost-canine form.

Tori must've gotten over the shook before I did- or maybe she hadn't noticed yet? Either way, Tori had decided to make her presence known. "Chloe!" she shrieked. The sound made me want to plug my ears as I watched Chloe's head whip around to face us. She seemed confused for a while, but once we stepped into the light given off by the fire, her frown quickly became a smile.

"Tori! Simon!" She leaned down to whisper something to Derek before looking over at Tori and I. "Umm, you guys might want to…stay back for a while. I'm not sure if this is something you'd want to see. But," she gestured to the ground, "feel free to make yourselves at home." She laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes… _I guess she's worried about Derek._

I looked over at my brother. In those short minutes, his snout had disappeared and most of the hair on his body had receded. "Hey bro, you- you need anything?" I asked uncertainly.

He turned his head to face me. "No, I'm…ok." I almost laughed at that- like he thought I'd believe him if he said he wasn't in pain. Did he think I hadn't heard him crying out in pain? I wasn't _deaf_!

I rolled my eyes at him. When I looked over again, he was vomiting. _Gross, _I couldn't help thinking. _How can Chloe stand to watch all this?_

"Man, that's disgusting! Chloe, is this how you get your kicks?" Tori asked.

Then it was Chloe's turn to roll her eyes. "Tori?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut it."

"Whatever. So, this is what you snuck off the bus to do? Watch Derek blow his chunks? I thought you guys were going to make-out or something!"

"TORI!" Chloe's cheeks were bright red.

"What?"

As they argued, I studied Derek. He was completely back to normal now, grabbing the pile of clothes next to him and retreating into the forest to put them back on. When he returned, he smiled at me sheepishly. "So, what'd ya think?" He ventured.

I grinned. "Seriously, bro? When you said you were a werewolf, I expected it to be way cooler than _that!_" He laughed, and at the sound of it, Chloe's head whipped around to stare at him She blushed when he met her gaze and returned her focus to Tori.

Then I finally understood.

**A/N: OOOOOH! Now Simon knows! Aren't you excited for Part II? The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll update! REVIEWWW!!!**


	11. Expectations II

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! I'm so incredibly tired right now, so I'm gunna attempt to make this as short as possible (the author's note, not the chapter!)

It's Part II today! And thank you to everyone who took the time to review yesterday! Reviews made my day (you get this weird happy feeling in your tummy and it's just WONDERFUL!) so keep em coming!

Question #1: How do you think Kelley is going to resolve the love triangle in The Reckoning? I'm uber curious to see your theories!

Question #2:Who's your favourite character in the series? Mine's either Derek or Tori :)

Question #3: Who here watches Supernatural? **OnceUponANovel** and I are convinced Jared Padeleki should play Derek ;) Whadda ya think?

Anyways, thank you to everyone who bothers answering my questions! As always, you can message me the answer or just include it in a review.

**Disclaimer**: Tori and I are arguing…

Tori: Just let us out you psycho!

Me: Are you calling me a psycho? *Eye twitch*

Tori: Yeah!

Me: Yeah? Well, _you're _a psycho… BITCH!

Tori: Oh yeah?

Me: YEAH!

Tori: Yeah? Well you don't own Darkest Powers!

Me: *Glares*

That was low.

**Expectations  
Part II**

**Simon POV**

We all sat around the fire for a while, discussing what had happened after we escaped and what we had seen.

"We ran through the woods for a while. We stopped when we reached this clearing, and we've been looking for you guys ever since. I don't know why though, I _told_ Simon you guys would find us, but _noooo!_" Tori was ranting, but no one was paying attention.

"So what did you guys spend your days doing?" Chloe asked, attempting to put a stop to Tori's ranting.

"Well, we walked around for a while. I wanted to get as far from the safe-house as possible, so we walked for a few hours every day before finding a place to sleep and searching for everyone. What about you? How long have you guys been here?" Chloe looked anxiously at Derek, who shook his head.

"Well, um…we've been m-moving around a l-lot so w-we'd be harder to f-find, and," she took a deep breath to calm herself. "We've spend the rest of the time looking for you guys and trying to figure out what happened." I nodded.

"So, did you guys learn anything? How'd they find us?" I asked.

"I think they had someone watching the house." Derek said quietly. "Chloe and I were arguing outside, and they must've taken that to mean you guys were there too. They shot at us, and you guys know the rest…" I nodded again, noticing there was something off about his voice. _He probably just feels guilty, _I thought. _Or maybe-_

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a yawn. I looked over at Chloe, who was rubbing her eyes. "Sorry guys, I'm just really tired. I think I'm gunna go to sleep." She got up and began making her way to the tent. Tori got up and followed.

"Yeah, I think I will too. I was asleep before wolf boy's girlie screams woke me up." She turned around, shooting daggers at Derek with her eyes.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Shut up and go to sleep, Tori."

"Whatever." She made her way over to the tent and crawled inside.

I waited until I could hear the sound of Tori's thunderous snores before turning around and facing Derek. "So, bro… when were you going to tell me?" I asked innocently.

"Tell you what?" he asked, confused.

"Well, let's see, shall we? How about: why are you here with Chloe? Or even better: What the hell is going on with you two?" I could hear the anger in my voice, and I felt guilty for speaking to Derek like that. We had always put each other first, and I was letting a girl –granted, it wasn't just _any girl_- get in the way of that? Pathetic.

"I'm sorry bro, it'd just been a long couple of days stuck with Her Majesty." I gestured towards the tent where Tori was sleeping. "Seriously though Derek; what's going on with you and Chloe?" My tone was softer, but I still allowed myself to glare at him for a few seconds.

"Do we really have to talk about this right now?" He asked desperately.

"Yes, we do, so cut the crap and just tell me already!" He dropped his gaze to his hands and I waited for him to speak.

"It's…wait, no. We…" he struggled lamely, and I had trouble keeping myself from laughing. I had never seen Derek like this-ever. There was silence for almost ten minutes before he spoke again. "Simon, I don't know how to say this, and-" he stopped for a few seconds before continuing in a voice that was barely a whisper. "I'm in love with her," he blurted suddenly.

I stared at him in wide-eyed horror. Did he just say he was in love with her?! Chloe?! _My _girl?!

It was then that my stupid inner voice or whatever decided to make an appearance. _She was never 'your girl', idiot! She made that kinda obvious when she bolted out the door after your little kissing session, didn't she? _I bit my lip, trying to make sense of it all. _Besides, you never really loved her, so calm down. _

I looked over at Derek. He was watching me anxiously, as if he was expecting me to explode at any moment. _Derek deserves to be happy too; he's been putting your happiness first for a long time. Don't be such a dumbass! Give the guy a break!_ I nodded. Derek did deserve happiness, and if I was the one keeping him from it -or at least making him feel guilty about it- then I was a pretty crappy brother.

"Could it be?!" I asked sarcastically. "The un-dateable Derek Souza, is _in love?!_" He laughed, relieved at the sarcasm in my voice; he had probably been expecting anger. "Seriously bro! I thought there was some rule about werewolves not being able to fall in love until they found their _soulmate _or whatever. How-" I stopped short, realizing what I had just said. It was true: with werewolves, once they found their 'mate', it was for life; but before that, they weren't supposed to notice girls. Derek had never cared about girls before, so why now? Why was Chloe-

"She's it, isn't she? Your weird little lover-for-life, right?" I smiled, hoping he knew I was joking. I looked over at him, and weirdly enough, he was _blushing._

"Shut up. There's no such thing." He mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Yes, there is. I was there when Dad told you about it, remember?" He was silent for a few minutes, so I tried again.

"You really love her, don't you?" He looked up, nodded slowly and bit his lip, confused about where I was taking this. "If you love her, and she's your weird little soulmate thingy, then why do you care what I think?" I narrowed my eyes at him, hoping he'd get the message. "Stand up for what you want Derek! And stop being so self-sacrificing all the time! It gets really annoying, man." I smiled; glad it was finally my turn to give the lecture. "On that note, I'm going to bed. However, tomorrow, we're going to get some food, because I am fuckingSTARVING!" He laughed as I turned away before laying my blanket down on the ground and falling asleep.

**Chloe POV**

I knew I wasn't going to get to sleep when Tori followed me into the tent.

I was right of course. The first words out of her mouth were: "Spill, Chloe! What happened?" I looked at her with my best 'I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about-face on, hoping my drama classes hadn't been completely pointless. "Oh common, Chloe. I know something happened, and after leaving me with Simon for the past few days, you owe me big time!"

I considered telling her the truth before remembering her earlier comment about Derek and I stopping to make-out on the side of the road. "I'm serious, Tori. Nothing happened."

She narrowed her eyes at me, attempting to make me crack. When I didn't, she gave up, her shoulders relaxing and her arms dropping. I used that as my opening. "So, what happened with you and Simon? It sounds like you guys had fun." She rolled her eyes and launched into a detailed description of the events of the past several days, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her; I knew Simon wasn't exactly trying to be nice to her, and she had been putting up with his 'rude'– even I had to admit, they were a bit uncalled for- jabs and remarks for the past couple of days.

When she was finished her story we moved on to lighter topics, like how much we wanted double chocolate brownies, and how sad we were about having to leave the SSH. When we were done that discussion, Tori decided it was time for bed.

I waited until I could hear her snores before listening for Derek's voice. I knew Simon and him were still talking, and I had hoped he would tell Simon about us. I listened closely, immediately recognizing that they were indeed talking about me.

"She's it, isn't she? Your weird little lover-for-life, right?" I was taken aback by what Simon was saying; Derek had never even _mentioned_-

"Shut up. There's no such thing." I almost barely heard Derek denying it. I blushed. _Could I really be the person he wanted to spend his entire life with?_ I thought about it, nodding after I came to a realization: I couldn't imagine my life without him either…

"Yes, there is. I was there when Dad told you about it, remember?" Simon sounded smug, and I hoped this meant he wasn't angry or hurt. "You really love her, don't you?"

_He'd better! _I thought, almost laughing at my own response. I assumed had Derek agreed, because Simon continued. "If you love her, and she's your weird little soulmate thingy, then why do you care what I think?" He paused, then: "Stand up for what you want Derek! And stop being so self-sacrificing all the time! It gets really annoying, man." I really had to work hard to hold back my laughter when he said that. How many times had I cursed Derek for that same exact quality?

"On that note, I'm going to bed. However, tomorrow, we're going to get some food, because I am fuckingSTARVING!" I heard the sound of Simon walking away, then waited. Once I could hear the sound of his booming snores, I crept out of the tent, stepping over Tori and praying I hadn't woken her. I made my way over to where Derek was sitting in front of the fire and sat down.

"Hey."

"Hey." He wrapped his arm around me in a one-handed hug.

"How'd he take it?" I asked, although I already knew the answer.

"Way better than I thought he would, although, he looked a bit pissed off at first."

"That's alright, as long as he got over it."

"Yeah, he did."

"Good." I mumbled, reaching up to lower his face to mine. We kissed for a few minutes before I heard a 'tsk, tsk, tsk' coming from behind us.

I whipped my head around, and there stood Tori with an accomplished smile on her face.

"You know Chloe, you really suck at lying." I blushed. "I could tell there was something going on with you two while we were still in the SSH. A monkey could've figured it out…which explains why Simon didn't." She smiled, and I couldn't help mirroring it.

"Are you done now, Tori?" I asked.

"Yupp! Please, carry on. After all, forests like these are where most horny teenagers' dreams come true! Don't let _me _be the one to stand in the way of that!" She winked at Derek before turning around and skipping back to the tent.

I was sure my blush didn't leave my face that night.

**A/N: Awww, I love Tori! ;) Thank you to everyone who reviewed; I hope you continue to do so! Also, I feel kinda giggly tonight :) REVIEWWWW!!! **


	12. Distractions

**Author's Note:** Hello lovelies :)

Another day, another chapter! Don't you love that you can always expect another update everyday? I know I love it when you guys review everyday, so I'm assuming it works both ways…(What I'm trying to say is, thank you so much for reviewing regularly!)

Anyways, my updates might have to start coming later in the day. I usually post em around 1 am, but I might have to start doing it around 11am or later… I know it sucks, but this way I'll be able to make the chapters longer. Plus, I won't be doing it everyday, so don't fret. And now your questions:

Question #1: Who's excited about books 4-6 in the Darkest Powers series? Personally, I wish Kelley would continue with Chloe's POV, but she says she will return to it, so I'm not complaining.

Question #2: Does anyone know what the font used on the cover of the books and the chapter names are called? I really wanna know, but noone seems to be able to tell me!

And again, thank you guys for answering the questions!

---

**Disclaimer:** Somehow, Simon, Tori, Chloe, and Derek have escaped from their cell and managed to tie me up.

Simon: Say it.

Me: Never!

Tori: Say it!

Me: NEVER!

Derek: SAY IT!

Me: FINE! I DON'T OWN DARKEST POWERS, OK?!

---

**Distractions**

**Chloe POV**

We all decided to get an early start the next morning, partly because Simon was nagging about being hungry, and partly because Tori's comment the previous night still made my cheeks flush when I thought about it.

We packed up all our gear quickly, did one last sweep of the clearing, then set out. We had decided to avoid following the road due to the possibility of being caught, so we were forced to trudge through the forest, occasionally peeking out to make sure we were still traveling in the right direction. We walked mostly in silence, with the exception being the occasional complaint from Tori.

"Seriously? How far is this road? Where could it lead; China or something?" She had repeated this about 6 times already, and even though noone had answered her, she still felt the need to ask again.

"Cummon Tori, it's not that bad! Just think of all the calories we're burning!" I said, in a weak attempt at cheering her up -or shutting her up, either way…

"Nice try Chloe, but you have to have eaten something to be worried about calories. All we've eaten in the past couple of days is fruit!" She practically gagged on the last word, causing Simon to turn and glare at her.

"Well soooorry! We were kind of running for our lives, remember? I didn't really have time to stop in the kitchen and stock up on sandwiches and granola bars!" He seemed really tired- probably because he had slept on the ground- that would make anyone cranky.

"Guys, can we try not to argue, _please_? We just have to walk for a bit more! Then we can buy loads of food to pig out on and beds to sleep on." Everyone's mood was tangibly lighter after that, and we spent the next few hours walking in renewed silence.

After a few more hours of silence, I felt like screaming. "Can someone please just say something?" I begged.

"Umm…like what?" Derek asked.

"I don't know! Anything! This awkward silence is driving me nuts!"

"Well, what do you want to talk about?" Simon asked.

"I have an idea!" Tori declared. "How about we play truth or dare?"

"Seriously Tori? Truth or dare is so middle school." Simon mocked.

"Oh yeah, just like your haircut, right pretty boy?" Tori spat back. Before long, they were having a full-out argument, complete with explicative language and even a bit of violence.

"WHY ARE YOU SUCH A PRICK?"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE A BITCH!"

"WELL AT LEAST I'M NOT BRAINLESS PRETTY BOY!"

They bantered back and forth like that for half an hour before Derek finally spoke up.

"Can you guys shut up for maybe a tenth of a second? I think I hear someone coming." Immediately we all stopped walking, held our breaths and waited.

After a few minutes, Derek relaxed his stance. "It's gone now, but I swear I heard something." He sounded confused, probably because whatever had made the noise had been able to disappear so quickly.

"Does this mean I can talk again?" Tori guessed.

"Yes, but I'd rather you didn't, for all our sakes." Derek said bluntly.

"Whatever, lover-boy. I know Chloe'll wanna talk to me." She turned to face me, and the smile that was plastered on her face looked faker than her mother's boobs.

"So, Chloe…" I took a quick sip from my water bottle, hoping she wouldn't say anything to embarrass me further. "Have you and wolf boy gone all the way yet?"

I choked, my windpipe blocked by the water I had just drank. _How could she be so stupid?! _Derek began frantically pounding on my back while Simon turned to give Tori the dirtiest look he could muster up.

"What the hell was that Tori?! You almost killed her!" he scolded.

"What? It was a harmless question! It's not my fault she's so…_delicate._" I could make out the snide grin on her face out of the corner of my eye.

"Well firstly, it's none of your business. Secondly, you're probably the one person thinking about stuff like that while we fight for our lives. And thirdly? Well, I don't know yet, but there'll probably be something new to yell at you for in a few minutes." Simon smiled then, and I knew he secretly glad that Tori was there. She was annoying, but she was also a welcome distraction from all the doom-and-gloom around us, which made it worth our while to keep her around.

There was silence for a few moments, then, "So, have you?"

"TORI!"

"What? I'm curious!"

"Well, I don't want to talk about that! Can we please change the subject?" I pleaded.

"Sure…So, when are you guys planning on-" I was about to yell at her again before Derek held up his hand to silence us. We all tensed, praying whatever he was listening to wouldn't be coming closer.

"It sounds like someone's stumbling around. I heard what sounded like someone falling a few times, but now I can't hear anything. Maybe their scent…" He sniffed the air, testing it for any sign of the Edison Group. A few seconds passed, and then out of nowhere, Derek took off running.

We all chased after him, but the distance between us still grew. Tori stopped, then Simon, but I kept going, intent on catching up to Derek.

"Where are you going?" I asked him breathlessly. Silence. Instead, I called his name. "Derek!" He heard me that time, turning his head slightly so he could hear what I was trying to say. "Where are you going? What's wrong?"

"It's Andrew! The person stumbling around! I could smell him!" I could hear the urgency in his voice, and I knew something was wrong.

"Is he ok?" I asked. There was silence for a few moments, then: "I…smelled blood."

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach, but it didn't knock the air out of my lungs. Instead, the sensation caused me to increase my speed, silently alerting my feet of the need to reach Andrew faster. "How much farther?" I asked, knowing we must be close.

"Just a few yards. I can smell him clearly now." We ran the rest of the distance is less than a few minutes, finally emerging from the forest out into another road.

"He's here. His scent is everywhere." I trusted Derek, but as far as I could see, Andrew wasn't there. We walked a few steps farther, but something was blocking the way.

I felt my body freeze up, and I knew what was happening: a binding spell, which meant there was another supernatural somewhere close by. I panicked as I heard Simon enter the clearing.

"There you guys are! You ran off so quickly, I had no idea-" He had been hit with the binding spell as well, and I could almost hear his desperate attempts at breaking free of the spell. Then came the sound of another person emerging from the forest behind us.

"My, my, my. Look what we have here. Three of the last remaining test subjects, and all it took to capture them was a silly trap and a few binding spells." I cringed at the sound of the malicious laughter; obviously Tori's mother was enjoying this more than she should.

She materialized in front of us, her cloaking spell wearing off. In one hand she held a handgun- a revolver- while the other hand rested in mid air, supporting a semi-conscious Andrew.

I could almost hear the shouts coming from Derek and Simon. Andrew's hands were bound, and he was on his knees, his mouth covered by a single piece of duct-tape.

Somehow, Simon managed to break through his bindings. He put up a defensive spell around himself, then began walking towards Tori's mother. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded. " We're just kids! Why would you do this to your own daughter?! And Andrew! He did nothing to you!" You could hear the anger in his voice, and it almost made _me_ want to run and hide.

Tori's mother smiled. "I see Daddy taught you a few tricks." She mocked. I could see Simon's face growing redder and the expression on his face becoming more and more incensed. "It's too bad he didn't stick around. Your spells are weak. Then again, that's probably more to do with your mother." She spat on the ground next to her, narrowly missing Andrew's ear.

"What do you know about my mother?" Simon demanded.

"Well, I know she was a weak little human. Nothing special, and yet…she did somehow manage to keep your father and I apart." She smirked, watching as Simon's facial features contorted with rage. "Then again, I got rid of her, so what does it matter?" She chuckled darkly, and Simon raised his hands, preparing to cast as much spells as he possibly could- but Tori's mom was too fast for him, and she sent another binding spell his way. It took, and he was frozen in place once again.

She laughed merrily now, as if remembering something pleasant. "And Andrew? Well…he convinced your father I was dangerous; a 'bad influence', so he kept his distance. He took you boys and ran, thinking he could leave everything behind; as if his problems would vanish if he left!" There was a wild look in her eyes, and I was sure she had lost it. "But it was too late for him," she continued, as if noone else was there. "He had already done the unthinkable- intertwined the two most adverse races of magic. We had a child- a child that would grow to be so powerful that both witches and warlocks alike would bow to her will!"

_Wait, a 'her'? Then she had to mean-_

"And you! YOU were the only person who stood in the way of that!" She threw Andrew to the ground and aimed her gun at his abdomen. I knew what was coming and began fighting relentlessly with the magic that was holding me back. I had to escape before it was too late.

It was no use.

The shot exploded into the air, the sound shattering the quiet of the early morning. The smell of blood filled the clearing, causing my stomach to churn.

**---**

**A/N: NOOOOOOOO! Poor Andrew! :( I had to do it guys, so please don't hate me! If I get enough reviews, I'll update early tomorrow morning! So,** **REVIEWWW!!!**


	13. Enough

**Author's Note:** Hello again darlings! It's time for another chapter! You know what that means? More incredibly long author's notes! :D

And I'm sorry about the late update guys. There was a bit of an emergency I had to take care of yesterday…

**Onwards! To chapter discussions**!

Last chapter was pretty fun to write. I'm starting to really like Tori's character, especially because of her little comments (cummom, you know you do too!). It was also pretty fun to make Tori's mom crazy; because, well…I have a feeling she is :)

On a more serious note, I'd like to address a very important matter. I know I told you guys I appreciate critique and criticism when it comes to my story- but I don't appreciate it when people go overboard. There has been a person (who shall remain nameless) that seems to think it's ok to send me hurtful and insultingprivate messages when a chapter doesn't match _their _vision for the story. **To that person**: if you have a problem with my ideas, don't waste your time sending me messages, because I will not be replying to them. Instead, utilize that time to write your own fanfic the way you want it to be written- I guarantee that's the only way you'll find a story that meets your standards.

Anyhoo, I'd like to give a shoutout to **burning... **I bought some of the books you suggested (_The Immortals_ by Alison Noel) and I am now officially HOOKED! Thank you so much for the suggestion and for being a faithful reader (and reviewer)!

Here's your question:

If you were an author, how would you feel about people writing fanfics based on your work?

And…

To everyone who's seen Harry Potter, lemme know how it is!

---

**Disclaimer: **

Me: Hey, I don't think these ropes are tight enough.  
*winks*

Derek: *Rolls eyes*  
I'm pretty sure they're tight enough.

Me: So…Derek. If things don't work out with you and Chloe, I-

Derek: What?!

Me: Nothing! I was just telling everyone about how I don't own Darkest Powers.

Derek: Riiiight.  
*Rolls eyes*

--

**Enough**

**Tori POV**

I've never been a fast runner, and if I wanted to be completely honest, I would tell you that I've always hated it. Running is something that requires a bit of hand-eye co-ordination, which is something I'm pretty sure I was born without. On the other hand, you can gimme the most desolate, broken-down computer you can find and I'll have it back up and running in a matter of hours.

Although I told everyone this many times, they seem to have forgotten. Either that or being on the run requires a lot more physical activity than I had originally accounted for…

When Derek held up his hand to shut us up, I thought it was another false alarm- I mean, _common! _How many times can you be caught by the same people? I opened my mouth to tell him so, but at the last minute I changed my mind. The look on his face was enough to tell me that this time at least, he wasn't just crying wolf.

Although, that would be kind of ironic, seeing as he's a wolf and everything… I bit my down on my bottom lip to stop myself from laughing; now was not the time to be making jokes…

We waited for a few more minutes, almost afraid to breathe as we waited for Derek to inform us of the dangers ahead (or lack thereof). I got bored, so I concentrated on the sounds of the forest. When that lost my interest, I returned my focus to Derek, who seemed to be sniffing the air. After a few more tense minutes, he froze. Then, out of nowhere, he took off running.

It took a few seconds for my brain to register what was happening. I blinked, and suddenly Chloe was gone as well, racing after Derek.

"What the hell is-" I began to ask, before Simon ran off as well.

"Cummon Tori! Derek smelled something!" He called to me breathlessly.

_Well, duh! _I thought to myself. _Why else would he take off like that? _Then I realized what that meant:

They wanted me to run.

_Well, crap! Screw that! _I thought to myself. _They didn't bother telling me why; so_ _I'm gunna take my own sweet time! _I smirked, secretly proud of my little act of rebellion. I began trudging my way through the forest alone, occasionally stopping to make sure I was on the right track by checking the ground for footprints.

*******

For the next thirty or so minutes I let my mind wander. I hadn't been given much time alone to process everything in the past few weeks, so I allowed myself to revisit every thought and event until I was sure I had secured everything soundly in the depths of my brain. One topic that I lingered on was my mother's betrayal- how could anyone go against their own flesh and blood in the way she had? How could she bring herself to lock her own child up like some animal; offer her up as a guinea pig for crazed scientists?

_Easy, _I told myself. _She's 'Queen Bitch', remember? She doesn't care about anyone or anything. Why should you be an exception?_

I sighed, tired of losing arguments with myself. _Because I'm her daughter…_

_You're also the biggest disappointment in her life. Hasn't she told you that everyday of your entire existence?_

It was true. Even before the whole Lyle House-supernatural thing my mother had made it her goal in life to remind me of how much of a disappointment I was. Even when I tried my hardest, nothing was ever good enough for her…

And suddenly it was Chloe's voice in my head, not my own. _You didn't deserve what she did to you Tori- none of it. You're a great person! She just couldn't see that. _

I tried clearing my head of the nonsense, but the thoughts came flooding back every time I stopped to think. Could she be right? Had I spent my whole life trying to please someone who didn't want me to begin with?

Deep down, I knew the answer was 'yes'.

And that was it. I was done trying to be the perfect daughter; done taking all the abuse when I knew I had done nothing wrong. My whole life had been so centered on this idea of 'keeping mommy happy' that I had never really bothered to stop and think about what would make _me _happy. My inner-Chloe voice was right- it was time to live my life unburdened by my mother.

I smiled, looking up from the ground. My smile quickly faded as I caught the scent of magic in the air.

Something was wrong.

I took off running, not bothering to stop and examine footprints; I knew where they were. The scent was leading me towards another road, this one practically deserted.

I made it there in just less than 7 minutes. _Woah! I've never been able to run this fast! _I stupidly gloated until I realized it was probably just the adrenaline rush. _Whatever…_

I stopped running before I hit the road, careful to remain well hidden behind the cover of the forest. I looked out onto the road, a bit confused by what I was seeing.

Derek, Simon, and Chloe were all standing about 10 feet apart, unmoving and silent. _Crap! They must've been hit by a binding spell! But who-_

"My, my, my. Look what we have here. Three of the last remaining test subjects, and all it took to capture them was a silly trap and a few binding spells."

I heard the maniacal laughter and froze. Something moved a few feet away, and I watched as my mother materialized in the clearing. She was laughing, and that laughing alone made me want to barrage her with all of the most power spells I could think of. She was carrying a gun- I happened to know it was Dad's gun from home. Her other hand was occupied as well, casting a levitation spell so she could hold up a very drugged up Andrew. _What is she doing? _I thought. _And where is the rest of the Edison Group?_

I looked out again, as if expecting to see the rest of the Edison Group appear around my mother. Instead, I caught a glimpse of Simon as he broke through the binding spell. He put up some sort of shield around himself and began advancing on my mother.

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded. " We're just kids! Why would you do this to your own daughter?!" _Because she hates my guts! Duh. "_And Andrew! He did nothing to you!"

I had to disagree with the last part, remembering all the trips to Andrew's house when I had been younger. My mother would drag me along with her and storm into his house, attempting to convince Andrew of something. When she couldn't, she'd storm right back out again. They had still worked together at the time, and I thought nothing of it- but the others didn't know this. I had kept it a secret, in a subconscious attempt to protect my mother. _Crap! _

I looked out again, hoping Simon could keep his defense up long enough for me to think up a plan. My mother was mocking him now, and I could see him getting angry, which was good, because more anger meant more power.

"I see Daddy taught you a few tricks." She deduced. Simon's face got even redder, if that was even possible. "It's too bad he didn't stick around. Your spells are weak. Then again, that's probably more to do with your mother." She spat on the ground next to her, narrowly missing Andrew's ear.

His mother? What did my mom know about Simon's mom?

"What do you know about my mother?" Simon demanded, mirroring my thoughts.

"Well, I know she was a weak little human. Nothing special, and yet…she kept your father and I apart."

_What?! My mom..and Simon's Dad?! _The thought made the bile rise in my throat. It must've been when I was five, when Mom kept making those unscheduled trip to Andrew's house…

I watched as my mom smirked at Simon, watching as his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows knit themselves together. "Then again, I got rid of her, so what does it matter?" she laughed again, and this time I felt a pang of guilt.

_My mom had killed Simon's mother?_

Simon raised his hands again, but my mom's magic was too fast and too strong. With a subtle flick of her wrist she sent another binding spell his way. He froze in place again, and I started to get angry. I knew I had to do something, but there was something stopping me, holding me back. I watched as my mother continued her insane babbling.

"And Andrew? Well…he convinced your father I was dangerous, so he kept his distance. He took you boys and ran, thinking he could leave everything behind; as if his problems would vanish if he left!" She was circling Simon as if he was some little rabbit caught in her trap. She seriously looked like one of those psycho serial killers you see on tv. "But it was too late for him," she kept going; although it was pretty obvious she wasn't telling the story for their sakes'.

"He had already done the unthinkable- intertwined the two most adverse races of magic. We had a child- a child that would grow to be so powerful that both witches and warlocks alike would bow to her will!" I almost choked then. Was this the secret she had been keeping all these years? Did I have another sister out there somewhere, a sister who was made up of both my mother and Simon's dad's genetic codes? Or could it be that my little sister…? No, that wasn't possible. She looked exactly like my father, the mortal my mom had married 17 years ago…

But what about me? I look nothing like my father. I've always been the outcast of the family, the only child with black hair. My sister and I look almost nothing alike, and-

I thought back to the day when we had finally escaped from the Edison Group. Andrew had been driving us to the SSH when he had looked into the rear-view mirror. "It's good to see you and Simon together," he had said. And what about my mother's utter distaste for him? "Stay away from Simon Bae, Victoria." She had repeated this multiple times, driving it into my brain, even going so far as to threaten to have me transferred if I didn't comply. At the time I thought she had been looking out for me, but now…?

Now I knew the truth.

I looked back out onto the road, mentally preparing myself for what I was about to do. I could feel the anger and the power surging through me, and I relished in the feeling of strength that it gave me. I cast a cloaking spell over myself and prepared to step out, stopping short when I looked out and saw what was about to happen.

"And you! YOU were the only person who stood in the way of that!" She had thrown Andrew to the ground, standing over him with the gun pointed at his spine.

_No! I couldn't let her do it!_

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't will my feet to move forward. Then I heard the gunshot, and I shot through the trees as fast as my legs could carry me. I ran out onto the road and charged at her, allowing my sadness and fury to seep through my skin and surround me. I reached for the gun, focusing all my energy on getting it out of her hands. She started fighting back- resisting- but all my anger had made me powerful…powerful enough to defeat her.

"Well, if it isn't my useless tramp of a daughter!" She laughed nervously, realizing what was going on. "It's so nice of you to join us Victoria. Your friends thought you had deserted them!" Her laugh was mocking this time, as if she thought she could break me with her words. "Let go of my gun, and I'll think about letting you go home to your father."

Was she seriously trying to bribe me? After everything she had done?!I let my cloaking spell falter, letting her know it was in fact, me. I glared at her, concentrating as much poison into the look as I could. When she saw my eyes, she actually looked…scared; but when I looked again, the fear in her eyes had vanished, leaving behind anger and hatred so powerful I almost let go of the gun. "Let go of the gun, Victoria, and I may just let you live after this." I could feel the hatred saturating every word of the threat, but I smiled. She didn't have anything over me anymore.

"You fucking bitch." I raised my hand, hitting her with a knock-back spell. She stumbled backwards, still holding on to the gun. "AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE TO ME, YOU EXPECT ME TO GO QUIETLY?! ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!" My screams must've had some effect on her, because the binding spells she used on Chloe, Derek, and Simon suddenly lost their hold. I could hear them coming to help me, but I wanted to end this myself.

"Go help Andrew. She's mine." I heard Derek and Simon retreat, but Chloe just stood there silently. "Go!" I practically growled at her. She walked away slowly, leaving me alone with my mother once again.

"I see your little friends have trouble taking orders." She smirked, and my anger immediately returned in full force.

"Friends? They're more like family than you've ever been," I spat at her, making my point clear. "And wouldn't you know it? Apparently Simon _is _family!" I could see the shock in her eyes- she didn't know I heard her.

"Well, it seems you've been doing your fair share of sneaking around, haven't you?" I ignored that comment, instead allowing a bit of electricity to flow through my palms and onto the gun. My mother swore and released the gun, grabbing it back after she had recovered. "You'll pay for that one Victoria! I'm going to toss you to the Edison Group and tell them to have their way with you. After a few days, you'll be back to obeying my every order." She laughed again, and I hit her with another knock-back spell.

"A knock-back spell? Is that all you can do? I must say I'm disappointed in you Tori! You showed so much promise, especially having a wizard for a father." She smiled, and I felt all my pent-up hatred flow through me. "I've enjoyed playing this little game with you Victoria, but I've had enough. I've no use for you or your pathetic excuse for supernatural ability. It's time I ended this." She said it politely, as if she was discussing the weather with a stranger. I felt the anger surge through me again; the sudden increase in intensity scaring me. I fought to control it, knowing that if I let it get out of hand, it might destroy me. Andrew had warned me of the dangers of loosing control, but his warning left my mind as I concentrated on my mother. She was aiming the gun at my forehead, her finger on the trigger.

"I screamed, and I immediately felt something change. The atmosphere around me began to crackle with electricity, and the clouds began to turn black. I struggled to reign in my power; finally realizing it was too late when I failed. I knew what was going to happen now, and frankly, I was glad.

The space around my mother began to fizzle and crackle, the current becoming stronger by the minute until I could actually _see _the electricity all around her. "What is this, Victoria? Another little trick?" She chuckled nervously, and I could tell she was frightened.

"No mother. This is me ending it, once and for all." I smiled sweetly at her, and the resulting look on her face was enough to make me double over in laughter.

"You don't have to do this, Tori! You can come home again, and you'll never have to deal with the Edison Group again. You don't have to do this!" I shook my head furiously, not letting her guilt-trip me. It was out of my hands anyway, so why give her false hope? She squirmed anxiously, searching for an escape route.

"There's no way out of this one, mother. You're going to get exactly what you deserve for what you did- to Simon's Mom and Dad, to Andrew, and to me."

I heard a voice from behind me. "Tori! Don't do it! She's not worth it!" Chloe was screaming desperately, trying to get me to stop. I turned around, glancing at her. There was worry in her eyes, and I suddenly felt a rush of affection towards her. She was a good person, always believing in the best in everyone, and I hated that she had to see me like this.

"I have to…" I whispered to her, before turning around again. I heard a rumble of thunder, and then the lightening struck my mother. She screamed, falling to the ground and attempting to crawl away. The lightening hit her again and she screamed louder this time. She was obviously in pain, but I couldn't do anything for her now.

She turned to face me, her eyes filled with hatred. "I'll see you in hell, Victoria. And if I get my way, I'll be sooner, rather than later." She laughed wildly again, but it ended as soon as the last stroke of lightening hit her. She was silent, and I knew it was finally over. I felt guilty for a moment, seeing her like that, but I fought it back, reminding myself of everything she had done.

"T-Tori?" Chloe called softly from behind me. I spun around, plastering a smile on my face.

"Hey guys, how's Andrew doing?" I asked cheerfully.

This time it was Derek who responded. "She shot him, but it only grazed his leg. He'll be alright, I just have to bandage him up and wait for the drugs to wear off." I nodded.

"Guys, can we go now please? I'm starving!" Simon was obviously not shocked by what I had done, which was good.

"We can walk around and see if there's a gas station or something nearby," I offered. We had a lot to talk about, and we might as well get food on the way.

"Sounds good." He said, smiling.

---

**Author's Note: Again, I'm sooooooooooooo sorry about the late update! But on the plus side, it's way longer than usual. That makes up for it, right? :) Anyways, please, pleeeease REVIEW!!! **


	14. Precautions

**Author's Note**: Heeeey guys! I'm kinda tired right now, so this is gunna be another short author's note (I promise the chapter won't suffer!)

So, how is everyone? Enjoying the summer? Yeah? That's good. :) For some reason, I feel kind of sleep deprived. Weird, I know. You know what else? I just got my first sunburn of the summer! *High fives self* Anyways, here are your questions:

**Question #1**: What is the longest you have ever had to wait for the sequel of a book to come out?

**Question #2**: Who here has ever written a book and tried to get it published? I know most of you guys are writers, and from what I've seen, you should be getting book deals left and right!

---

**Disclaimer: **

Me: ***Singing*  
**I dreamed a dreaaaaaam, I owned Darkest Powers! Yeah, yeah, ohhhhh yeahhhhhh!

Chloe: Um, alright then…Derek?

Derek: Hmmm?

Chloe: Get 'the stuff'.

Me: ***Still singing*  
**Oh please, oh pleeeease! Don't get the stuff out, forrrr meeeee! I know I don't, own Darkest Poooooooowers! Mmmmm, yeah, ohhhhhhh!

Chloe: *Smiles*  
Good little prisoner! Here's a cookie!

Me: ***Singing*  
**Mmmmmmmmm! There was a farmer, who had a dog, and Bingo was his NAME OHHHH! B! I! N! G! O! Yeahhhhh! :)

---

**Precautions**

**Simon POV**

Tori and I set off down the road, leaving Derek and Chloe alone with Andrew. We had already done our best to mend up his leg, but it was obvious he would soon need medical attention, which was bad news for us, because the Edison Group have people _everywhere. _For now, our best option is to buy some disinfectant from a pharmacy or convenience store…

"So we're supposed to get out money with Chloe's bank card, right?" I jumped at the sound of Tori's voice- she hadn't spoken since we left Chloe and Derek in the clearing.

"Uh…yeah. Apparently the limit is $400 a day. Can you believe that?" I questioned in an attempt to start a conversation. Tori just nodded, keeping her eyes on her shoes. There was another half hour of awkward silence, then:

"You probably think I'm a monster for what I did back there," she blurted, her eyes glued to her shoes.

_Woah, she feels…guilty?! Who is this girl?! _I still hadn't answered her question, which probably made her think I was dreaming up some elaborate story.

"Um…no, Tori. I think it was probably the only thing you _could do _in a situation like that. I mean, she would have killed us all if it wasn't for you!" I laughed nervously, knowing I'd said _way_ too much.

I looked over at her, watching as she bit her lip and nodded slowly. I could almost see her building up the wall- her usual defense whenever she felt threatened.

"I'm serious, Tori. You should not feel guilty about this!" She nodded again, dropping her gaze to her hands.

"Then why…why do I? I mean, I know she was going to kill us, yadda yadda yadda, so why is the guilt eating me up?" She turned to me, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

"Because you have a heart! Something your mom didn't have." I put my hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. Deciding it was time to change the subject, I let the question that was dominating my thoughts escape my lips.

"So…we're… related. That's kinda…weird." She laughed, glad for the subject change.

"Yeah, I mean, how can I be related to someone so ugly?"

"Hey, watch it! Those are my Dad's genetics you're insulting, which means it comes right back to you." She shrugged.

"Nah, I take after my mother more, which means I have an excuse for the bitchiness." She said it firmly, and I couldn't help but laugh.

She rolled her eyes at me. "It's not _that _funny Simon."

"Yeah, I know. It's just amazing how the only thing you got from your mother was the tendency to be a bitch." She shrugged again, and I knew from then on to not bring up her mother.

"So, uh…Chloe says you're good at fixing computers?" It was more of a question than a statement, and I was hoping it would make up for my previous failed attempt at starting a conversation. I looked over at Tori, who shrugged _yet again. I swear, if she shrugs her shoulders one more time, I'll-_

"Chloe likes to exaggerate." She said bluntly.

"Exaggerate?! She said you were working on an early acceptance package to MIT!" I gaped at her for a second before trying a different strategy. "Must be my Dad's genetics." I joked, hoping she would open up or something.

"She made it up. It's seriously nowhere near possible for me to get into MIT. And FYI, that was pretty racist of you." I sighed, retreating into my mind to think.

_What happened to the Tori who loved to brag about herself? In Lyle House she would follow me around with a constant stream of 'me, me, me', and now…_I could feel my face heating up while I remembered what Tori had done in that godforsaken place.

"So, um…when we were in Lyle House, you-"

She blushed, and I knew it was the wrong time to bring it up. I was trying to think of other topics we could discuss when she began to speak. "That was all a big misunderstanding, Simon. I didn't like you like _that_. I think I just sort of subconsciously _recognized _who you were and thought it was something else. It was a mistake." I nodded- her explanation seemed pretty reasonable, and it was definitely time to change the subject again.

"So, uh…what do you wanna talk about?" I asked lamely. She was silent for a few more minutes, biting her lip as she thought something over. I was sure she wasn't going to respond, but when she turned to face me, I could see the determination in her eyes. "Can you tell me about…your Dad?" She asked quickly, as if she regretted asking.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "He's your dad too, Tori." She shook her head rapidly, as if refusing to believe it.

"Forget I asked. I just-"

I sighed. I had a major headache, and her getting on my nerves was not helping it one bit. "What do you wanna know?"

She bit her lip again. "Um…anything I guess."

"Okay then. Well, his names Christopher, but everyone calls him Kit. He's a bit taller than me, and he's a lawyer..."

We spent the next few hours exchanging stories; mine where about my Dad, and Tori's where…nonexistent. She stayed quiet for pretty much the whole trip, nodding occasionally and slipping in the rare 'okay'.

My heart almost leaped out of my chest when I spotted a little town in the distance. My stomach began rumbling then, recognizing that there was food nearby. We would buy everything we needed and stock up on non-perishable foods. That way, we could keep our trips to a minimum and avoid exposure… I took a step forward and lost my footing.

Tori grabbed me before I hit the ground, swearing under her breath. "Simon, what the hell?!" She struggled to pull me to my feet, brushing herself off when I finally managed to pick myself up.

"Sorry, I…dunnowhathappn." I could hear myself slurring the words, but I couldn't find the energy to repeat my sentence. I knew then what was happening, silently cursing myself for not watching out. I had to tell Tori what to do so she wouldn't freak out, and-

"Towi, need…le…bac..pockt."

"What? A needle in your back pocket? What are you talking about, Simon? What's wrong with- Simon?!"

I felt my back make contact with the ground, my brain barely registering the pain as everything began fading. I could feel myself losing consciousness, faintly aware of someone calling my name.

Then everything went black.

---

**Derek POV**

We had left the part of the road where Tori and her mother had fought, and were now settled in another clearing deep in the forest. The tent was set up and Andrew was asleep inside, snoring away. We had to wait for Tori and Simon to return and allow the drugs to wear off before we could leave.

"They should've been back by now!" I repeated for the hundredth time that day. Simon and Tori had left hours ago, and I was starting to get worried. Chloe, on the other hand, seemed almost practically unaffected.

"Relax, Derek. There probably aren't any stores close by. I mean, look! That road goes on forever! Besides, they have a lot to talk about…" I nodded. Finding out he had a sister probably freaked Simon out more than the knowledge that the same sister had an unrequited crush on him less than a month before… I shuddered internally. This was some messed up shit; practically Jerry Springer material! (Or at least some prime-time soap-opera). How could our Dad and Tori's mom have ever-

"Derek, don't." Chloe placed her hands on her hips, attempting to look authoritative. I played along, hoping to distract myself from the anxious feeling in my stomach. Worrying about Simon and Tori wasn't going to bring them back any faster...

"Don't what?!"

" Don't go to that little place in your head where you try to make sense of everything, because trust me, you won't be able to. " She smirked, amused by the situation.

"Ugh…fine. But where could they be? It's been hours! I swear, if Tori did anything to Simon, I'll-"

"Derek, calm down. Tori would never hurt Simon."

"She might, if she gets angry." I reminded her.

"That was completely different. Her mom was gunna shoot her, and-"

I cut her off. "It still doesn't change the facts, Chloe. She's dangerous! Her powers are magnified, and she has almost no control over them! What if one day she gets really angry-"

"I trust her. I'm not leaving her. And I know Simon won't want to, especially now." She spoke firmly, delivering her little speech without any hint of doubt. I walked over to her and wrapped my arms around her in a hug.

"I didn't mean we should leave her- although I could do without her comments for a while- I meant we needed to be more careful! We have to do what Andrew suggested and practice control, or we'll never be able to take down the Edison Group." She nodded against my chest and I released her, carefully slipping her necklace off her neck. She looked up at me with confusion in her eyes.

"What are you-" she began.

I cut her off again. "It's just in case. After what happened last time, I don't want you to take any chances. Especially after what happened today." I pocketed the necklace, meeting her gaze when I looked up. She didn't believe me, but it was true. I really didn't want a repeat of the little zombie convention we had, and if she dreamt about Tori's mom enough…well, I didn't really want to think about that. "You should go to bed soon. You haven't gotten a lot of sleep lately," I reminded her, knowing what her answer was going to be.

"I think I'll just…stay up and wait for them with you." I pursed my lips, knowing what she was afraid of, and to be honest, I could do without another visit from Tori's mother.

"Ok then." I nodded, grabbing one of my sweaters out of my bag and laying it on the damp forest ground. I plopped down on it and invited her to join me. "What do you want to do while we wait?" I asked.

"I have no idea," She replied honestly. "But I have a feeling it's going to be a long night."

---

**Author's Note**: Well, there you have it folks! Another chapter. Please, pleeeeease **REVIEW!** I havn't been getting a lot lately, and it makes me quite sad.

Anyways, the part about Simon was really hard to write, because… **Christina, if you're reading this, you're prolly shaking your head, saying: "Man, she has it ALL WRONG!" And to that I say: "Well, SOOOORRY! I was experiencing it, not watching it happen! How should I have written it?" And you'll prolly say: "Like this, idiot:**

**This shoutout goes out to my cousin, Christina, who read the series in two days and is now anxious for more. I love her more than life itself and am so proud of all her accomplishments (pffttt. Jk :] ). She is my best friend (not my only friend, thank you very much ya little huss!) and we are two halves of a Jimmy Choo flat. (Although I've never seen one, so…) I can read her thoughts and vice versa. Please give her profile some hits, y'all!"****  
**

**And I'll say: Ya, ok there buddy ;)**

**(Please don't ask, unless you really wanna know.)**


	15. Accidents

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! Sorry about the late-ish (and by late-ish, I mean **extremely late**) update…I wasn't feeling good last night, and…I'll save you the gory details.

Anyways, I'm not tired or anything today, so it's gunna be a long-ish author's note. (I have just discovered the power of adding "ish" to the end of every word, so try to bear with me please). Anyways, I'm running out of words that sound good with ish, so I'll stop now. Promise! :)

**About the Chapters**: A few of you guys were wondering what was happening with Simon, so I'm just gunna explain here. As we all know, Simon is a diabetic, which means he needs to eat specific amounts of food at specific times, check his blood sugar regularly, and take his injections before eating in order to keep himself healthy. There are 2 different types of things that can happen to you when you have Diabetes: the first and most common event deals with your blood sugar being too high because your pancreas gives out (the organ that takes sugar from the food you eat and balances it out with a special hormones called insulin before sending it into your bloodstream). This is referred to as a "high". The second event is the exact opposite of this: your pancreas works overtime, pumping too much insulin into your blood, which dilutes the sugar needed to keep your body going. This is often referred to as a "low". This second event is called hypoglycemia, and having hypoglycemia can cause a person to pass out. Sometimes, it's life threatening. This is what happened to Simon- he didn't eat enough carbs, causing a lack of sugar in his system, so he passed out. The needle he was telling Tori about is called a glucagon injection, which is basically used to revive diabetics who have passed out from a low blood sugar. Sorry if this seems a bit confusing, but I really don't know an easier way to explain. I've grown up with this, so it's pretty much drilled into my brain with all the long, confusing medical words -yes, that was me coming out of the hospital supply closet ;) – but if you wanna learn more, you could try this site:

**www (dot) diabetes (dot) niddk (dot) nih (dot) gov (slash) dm (slash) pubs (slash) hypoglycemia**

**(Sorry about the dots and slashes, fanfic won't let me post a working link)**

Anywhoo, thank you to everyone who reviews regularly. I've been getting a lot less reviews lately, but you guys never fail to review each and every chapter. Thank you soooo much!

Here are your questions:

**Question #1:** Who's seen the cover art for "The Reckoning?" If you haven't, I can send you the link to the site that has it.

**Question #2**: Who has ever written a fanfic and then gotten their story (or ideas, or parts) plagiarized or copied?

**Question #3**: Has anyone ever watched the movie "Minutemen"? It's a Disney channel movie, but there's an actor in that movie I'm convinced should play Derek. He's reeeally tall with darkish brown hair and green eyes, and I think he's practically perfect (except he needs to build up some muscles, but other than that…) His name's Nicholas  
Braun, incase you guys wanna google him.

---

**Disclaimer:** I escaped my bindings and managed to once again trap all the characters in my basement/ dungeon.

Simon: I can't believe she trapped us again! What the hell happened? Weren't you the one watching her Derek?  
*Looks at Derek*

Derek: *Rocking back & forth*  
I'm telling you man! She's crazy! Completely out of her mind!

Chloe: But didn't you tell her she doesn't own Darkest Powers?

Derek: Yeah, but-

Me: Oh Derek? How're ya doin', sweetie?  
*winks*

Derek: *Shudders*

Chloe: *Rolls eyes*

---

**Accidents**

**Derek POV**

Chloe and I must've fallen asleep while waiting for Tori and Simon, because when Andrew shook me awake the next morning, Chloe's head was resting on my chest. She was sleeping peacefully for the first time in a long time, and I smirked, silently priding myself on being able to chase away her nightmares.

It wasn't until I figured out that Tori and Simon still hadn't returned that I began to get angsty. My heart filled with dread as I envisioned the many horrible things that could've delayed them on their journey- like being caught by the Edison Group, walking in on a hostage situation, or being attacked by drag queens. They had been gone for over 10 hours now, and I knew that something was definitely wrong.

Chloe began to stir. She lifted her head off my chest and blushed when she realized that she'd been using me as a pillow all night, looking up at my face after a few seconds. "Sorry about that, I must've dozed off or something…" She smiled but it quickly morphed into a worried frown when she saw my expression. "Derek, what's wrong?"

"It's Simon and Tori. They're still not back yet, and-"

She cut me off. "Is Andrew awake yet?" she asked abruptly.

"Yeah…"

"Then let's go. Now." She pulled herself up, straightened her clothes, then began to pack up all of our belongings off the forest floor.

"I'm not sure it's such a great idea to just _leave. _What if they're just late? They'll come back to an empty campsite."

"Derek's right, Chloe. What if they come back and we're gone?"

She shook her head. "If we take the same road they did, then we're bound to meet up with them at some point. Then, if they were just late, we can come right back; but if not, then…" She trailed off and I got the message. _Then we do everything in our power to find them and get them back safely. _I nodded, acknowledging the truth in her words.

"Let's go."

---

**Tori POV**

Simon and I started walking, leaving Chloe and Derek with an incapacitated Andrew. His injuries weren't severe- other than the bruises he received when my mother threw him around and the cut on his leg from the bullet, he was fine. We hoped that by the time we returned, his system would be devoid of all drugs and we would be able to leave that stupid forest once and for all.

We walked for a while with an awkward silence hanging in the air. I wasn't really in the mood to talk, but I figured it was better than letting this silence drag on. I cleared my throat, preparing to speak.

"So we're supposed to get out money with Chloe's bank card, right?" Simon flinched at my question, surprised I had spoken after remaining silent for so long. _Did he think I lost my voce or something?_

He struggled to compose an answer, probably trying to think of ways to get me to talk. "Uh…yeah. Apparently the limit is $400 a day. Can you believe that?" His voice was shaky, and I almost laughed. He sounded like he was trying to keep a psychiatric patient calm- exactly how the nurses in Lyle House had sounded.

That got me going. Did he really think I was crazy for what I had done to my mother? Hadn't he been the one who smiled, acted like it was no big deal? Hadn't I done it for him, for what his parents suffered at the hands of the cruel bitch previously known as Diane Enright? He probably thought I was a monster, a murderer... I let the thoughts swirl around in my head, allowing myself to consider every possibility and action. It was obvious that Simon thought I was crazy, and-

_So why did he agree to come with you? _My inner voice seemed to be defending me this time_, _which I had to admit, was a pleasant change from the usual barrage of insultsI was used to I finally became tired of going over the facts, I decided it was time to get the truth from Simon.

"You probably think I'm a monster for what I did back there," I blurted. He furrowed his eyebrows, a look of concentration on his face. _Great, he's gunna give himself a brain hemorrhage trying to come up with some cushy lie! This is just what I need right now…_

"Um…no, Tori. I think it was probably the only thing you _could do _in a situation like that. I mean, she would have killed us all if it wasn't for you!" I snapped my eyes up as he laughed. His laughter was shaky, but his voice hadn't been, which was good. I returned my gaze to my shoes before he noticed and nodded, hoping he'd drop it. I didn't need him to lie to make me feel better, especially when it wasn't working anyway.

"I'm serious, Tori. You should not feel guilty about this!" I nodded again, praying he'd stop. His tactics weren't working; in fact, they were having the opposite effect: making me feel even worse. There was a battle raging on inside me, the guilt destroying everything I had worked so hard to build up-like my composure. I couldn't take it anymore-couldn't keep the guilt locked inside me. Simon wanted a conversation, and it looked like he was gunna get one.

"Then why…why do I? I mean, I know she was going to kill us, yadda yadda yadda, so why is the guilt eating me up?" I could feel the tear gathering in my eyes and I blinked, hoping they would go back to wherever they came from. Tears are a sign of weakness, and Tori Enright is _not_ weak.

Simon looked me straight in the eyes before he answered. "Because you have a heart! Something your mom didn't have." He put his hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off- I didn't need his pity.

We were silent for a few minutes, and I could feel the tension returning. I could tell Simon was restless- he kept staring off in different directions, looking for something that could keep him occupied.

"So…we're… related. That's kinda…weird." I laughed at his desperate attempt at a conversation starter. If he was trying to lighten the mood, this was definitely the wrong thing to bring up.

"Yeah, I mean, how can I be related to someone so ugly?" I teased, hoping to get my mind off my troubles and our situation.

"Hey, watch it! Those are my Dad's genetics you're insulting, which means it comes right back to you." I shrugged, not ready for him to start _this _conversation either, but I figured it'd be rude not to answer, so I tossed back my own theory.

"Nah, I take after my mother more, which means I have an excuse for the bitchiness." He began laughing like a maniac, and I rolled my eyes at him. "It's not _that _funny Simon."

He finally came up for air, resting his hands on his thighs. "Yeah, I know. It's just amazing how the only thing you got from your mother was the tendency to be a bitch." He smiled, expecting me to laugh with him, but I really wasn't in the mood to talk about my mother again, so I just shrugged.

"So, uh…Chloe says you're good at fixing computers?" he ventured, running his hand through his hair.

"Chloe likes to exaggerate." I said, sick of his efforts at starting a meaningful conversation. I just lost control of my powers and killed my mother in front of him - did he really think I wanted to talk about unicorns and rainbows?

"Exaggerate?! She said you were working on an early acceptance package to MIT!" _Thanks a lot, Chloe… _I made a mental note never to tell her anything of importance ever again. I looked over at Simon- he had a confused look on his face, but when I blinked and looked back again it was a smile. "Must be my Dad's genetics." He joked. Was he implying that I wouldn't be intelligent if it weren't for his father?!

"She made it up. It's seriously nowhere near possible for me to get into MIT. And FYI, that was pretty racist of you." I snapped at him, showing him what I thought of his 'joke'. He sighed and turned away, concentration on the rocks on the side of the road. I thought that was the end of it, but apparently Simon doesn't know how to turn his mouth off.

_Probably because his _brain_ is already off…_

"So, um…when we were in Lyle House, you-"

He had to go there.

His face was red- I could see where he was going, and I cut him off, hoping he wouldn't question my explanation.

"That was all a big misunderstanding, Simon. I didn't like you like _that_. I think I just sort of subconsciously _recognized _who you were and thought it was something else. It was a mistake." I rationalized my behavior, remembering the incredibly stupid things I had done to get his attention in Lyle House. I had made a fool of myself- not to mention the time I had almost killed Chloe… He nodded, but I didn't know whether it was because he believed me or because he wanted to change the subject. We walked in silence for a few minutes, facing opposite sides of the road and not speaking.

"So, uh…what do you wanna talk about?" Simon asked. _Does this kid ever stop talking?! How can anyone stand hanging out with him, or for that matter, living with him? His Dad must tell him to shut up a million times a day! _I bit my lip, remembering that his dad was also my biological father, and I knew nothing about him. I didn't blame him for staying away from my mother; she was a crazy, evil bitch. I also didn't hold anything against him for leaving; the Edison Group were after him after all- but I did wish I knew something about him…

I thought it over, finally deciding it couldn't hurt. "Can you tell me about…your Dad?" I mumbled as quickly as I could, regretting my decision to ask almost as soon as the question left my mouth. I looked over at Simon. His eyes were narrowed and his arms were crossed as if he was angry. "He's your dad too, Tori." He reminded me, but I shook my head, praying he would stop. I already had a dad back home, and I wasn't trying to replace him (though I should've. I trusted him, and he gave me up to my mother!) I just wanted to know some basic stuff about Simon's Dad to see if I inherited any weird traits or something.

"Forget I asked. I just-"

Simon sighed as if I was getting on his nerves- me, getting on _his _nerves after hours of his babbling? "What do you wanna know?" He asked impatiently.

I bit my lip to keep myself from snapping at him. Now would not be the greatest time for a fight…"Um…anything I guess."

He nodded, launching into a detailed description of his father. "Okay then. Well, his names Christopher, but everyone calls him Kit. He's a bit taller than me, and he's a lawyer..." I forced myself to listen, but after a while, I found that I was actually interested in what he was saying. We spent the next few hours like that- Simon talking endlessly about his father while I listened closely, nodding at times and saying 'okay' when he paused to judge my reaction to a piece of information. I looked at his face, realizing he seemed paler than before we had set out. I was going to ask him if he was okay but forgot when a little town came into view. We stopped walking, gazing out upon the little town that- to us anyway- looked like paradise.

_Finally! Now we can buy loads of food, maybe some new clothes, some backpacks. Then we can leave that gross forest and find a nice hotel or something…_I began imagining all the possibilities, almost drooling when I thought of a comfy bed and a bathroom. Doing your business behind a tree looses its charm after a while…

Simon took a step forward, and his leg gave out. I grabbed him before he hit the ground, swearing under my breath. He didn't look it, but Simon was pretty heavy. "Simon, what the hell?!" I questioned. He still hadn't stood up, and my arms were about to give out under the strain of supporting him. He finally stood up, watching as I brushed the dirt off of my shirt.

"Sorry, I…dunnowhathappn." He slurred his words, probably trying to be funny…or not. His forehead creased when he heard himself speak, and a glimmer of understanding lit up his eyes.

"Towi, need…le…bac..pockt." He sounded like a three-year-old piecing together a sentence. I struggled to understand what he was trying to say.

"What? A needle in your back pocket? What are you talking about, Simon? What's wrong with- Simon?!" I could see him swaying on the spot, his eyes glazing over. He hit the ground before I catch him, the "thump!" his body made sending me into a panicked frenzy.

"SIMON! SIMON! WAKE UP!" I shoke him using as much strength as I could possibly muster up, which wasn't much after our 5 hour hike- not to mention a battle-to-the-death with my mother- begging him to open his eyes. I raced around like that for a few minutes, feeling helpless and watching as Simon's breathing became slower and slower. If I didn't do something soon, my brother was going to die, and it would be my fault. I tried shaking him again, willing him to wake up. I had no idea what I was doing!

When that didn't work, I got really worried. What was going on? It was then that I remembered his Diabetes; something had caused him to pass out like this, and it was somehow related to his illness. _Shouldn't he be carrying his medication with him or something? _I asked myself, before finally remembering what he had said before he fainted. _The needle! _

I rolled him over as gently as I could, removing the little plastic case from his pocket. I opened it up, and inside was one of the most terrifyingly long needles I had ever seen in my life. There were directions on the inside of the lid, and I read them hurriedly. _Incase of emergency, inject in any of these three areas: Legs, Arms, and Abdomen. _

_So I have to inject him with this torture device? _I thought to myself. _Well that's just great! _I turned my attention back to Simon. His breathing was getting weaker, and I knew that if I was going to save him, it was now or never.

I removed the cap from the syringe carefully, not wanting to poke myself with it and kill us both. I gently lifted the hem of his shirt until his stomach was exposed. I had watched him do his injections over the fast few days, and he had always done them in the area around his bellybutton. I gently lowered the needle, praying I wouldn't mess up and somehow kill him.

Once it entered his skin, I pushed down, sending the cloudy liquid into his body. When it was all gone, I removed the needle and replaced the cap. Nothing happened for a few minutes, and was I worried that I had done something wrong, but eventually, the colour returned to his face and Simon opened his eyes.

"Tori…?" He sat up and looked around confusedly. I attacked him with a hug before pulling back and glaring at him.

"How could you fucking do that to me, Simon? How could you be so fucking stupid?!" I demanded.

'Tori, I-"

"Don't "Tori" me, Simon! You just gave me a fucking heart attack! How could you be so irresponsible? Do you know what I just went through? I thought my brother was dying in front of me! Do you really want both me _and _Derek to get on your case? Do you? Because I can guarantee once Derek finds out, he'll-"

Simon put his arms around me in an awkward hug, ending my rant. "I'm sorry, Tori. Really. Thanks for taking care of me." He pulled away and smiled.

"What are you smiling about? I'm not done lecturing your fucking stupid ass!" I snapped at him.

"Because you just called me your brother!" His smile grew and I rolled my eyes at him.

"You know what? You really are a dumbass! You could've died, and all you're thinking about is how I accidentally called you my 'brother'? Seriously? Are you mentally defective, Simon?" He didn't answer- just laughed again before pulling himself up off the ground.

"Well, are you coming Tori?"

I grumbled, lifting myself off the ground and cursing him under my breath. "We'll hit the grocery store first- I'm starving. And wipe that stupid smile off your face!"

---

**A/N: Once again guys, I'm really sorry about updating so late. Please review anyway, even if you're mad at me :(**


	16. Promises

**Author's Note**: It's a beautiful day, today! The sun is shining; the clouds aren't grey! :)

And Barney's really outdated, so that's enough of that. Anyways…

Hey guys! It's been almost 24 hours since I last updated (a biiiiiiiiig no-no), so you get today's chapter early. Please, hold the applause.

Anyways, it's gunna be a short-ish author's note today. There's not really much to discuss when it comes to the last chapter, but I really loved Simon and Tori's little brother-sister bonding moment, didn't you? :) Also, a lot of you guys have been asking for more Chloe & Derek moments, so I'm gunna attempt to put some more stuff in. Like, a lot more; I'm gunna have to change the story rating to M. And I'm not saying anything else.

And lastly, I think I might start another DP fanfic soon, but I promise this one won't suffer. I want to run the idea by you guys first though, just in case it's not worth it. I'll include a summary in a future author's note, but do you guys think I should finish this story first?

-

**Questions:**

**Question #1:** What are some of your theories on the whole necklace-changing-colour thing? I know my cousin Christina had some pretty interesting ideas, and I'm curious to know what you guys think!

**Question #2:** Has anyone heard of _The Eternal Kiss? _It's a compilation book of vampire stories from all different authors, including Kelley Armstrong.

**Question #3: **Who's seen the movie _Push? _It's awesome, and there are a lot of similarities between the movie and The Darkest Powers series. Seriously. Go watch it and you'll know I'm right. :) Btw, do you think Dakota Fanning would make a good Chloe?

---

**Disclaimer**: Chloe and I are attempting to have a civil conversation.

Chloe: So you see, you don't own Darkest Powers! And you can't have Derek, because him and I are already together!

Me: Oh! I see what you're saying! I get it now! Thank you so much for explaining that to me!

Chloe: Your welcome.

Me: Hey, what's that over there?!  
*Points behind Chloe*

Chloe: What?  
*Turns around*

Me: *Hits Chloe on pressure point, knocking her out.*  
Pffft. Blondes.

---

**Promises**

**Chloe POV**

You would think that five hours on a deserted country road with your boyfriend would be paradise, right?

Wrong.

Thanks to Andrew, our actions while on the road had remained strictly G-rated. His gaze never left our intertwined hands, and I could almost hear the thoughts running through his head._ When did this happen? I thought Chloe and Simon were…and Derek of all people?_ I let my gaze wander to Derek's face; his eyes were cold and distant, but his thumb was gently rubbing circles on the back of my hand, silently informing me that his distance wasn't a reaction caused by something I had done. He had probably tuned into what Andrew was thinking as well, and was trying to rein in his anger.

I glared at the back of Andrew's head, hoping he would somehow get the message: _Leave it- don't ask questions._

I hadn't even had the chance to complete the thought before Andrew cleared his throat. "So, it seems as if you two have become good friends," he stated vaguely, probably hoping one of us would correct his choice of words. I didn't; instead, I changed the subject.

"So, how's your leg? Is it sore?" I directed the conversation towards his health, changing the subject matter in order to keep the peace between us.

"It's getting better…it's not hurting too bad, probably because whatever kind of drug they used on me hasn't left my system completely yet." He smiled, wincing when he placed weight on his bad leg.

"We'll get it fixed up when we find Tori and Simon. They were supposed to pick up a first-aid kit…hopefully they didn't forget…" I stopped short, not wanting to say it out loud; because even though I appeared calm and optimistic on the outside, on the inside, I was a total wreck.

Tori and Simon had been m.i.a. for more than 15 hours now, and I knew something was definitely wrong. I felt guilty for letting them go off alone, not bothering to volunteer to join them because I thought they needed some time alone. What if someone had taken advantage of their reduced numbers and kidnapped them? What if one of them had been in some kind of freak accident, perishing while the other stood by helplessly? Or…

What if their tempers got the best of them, and they ended up seriously injuring each other?

I shook my head until the motion made me nauseous. That would never happen_. Tori and Simon are perfectly fine, they just got held up a bit, and that's all_… I assured myself, working hard to block out any and all negative thoughts.

Derek sensed my panic and gently squeezed my fingers, causing me to forget what I had been worried about for a few blissful moments. It was like that scene in every romantic comedy, where the girl gets completely distracted by the guy, getting lost in his eyes…

Before she slams into a tree or falls into the ocean or something.

I knew I needed to keep my focus if I wanted to be prepared for whatever we might have to face, but it was a bit hard; trying to keep you focus while all you can think about is the hot-n-heavy makeout session you're planning on having with your boyfriend when you're alone…Oops.

I mentally slapped myself, ashamed at how close I came to acting exactly like Tori: concentrating on …other things… while there are bigger and badder things going on?

Definitely not a good idea.

I returned my gaze to the road directly in front of me, biting my lip to keep my thoughts from wandering off. It worked for a while, but I was exhausted from all the walking, and keeping my thoughts under control was becoming increasingly difficult.

"Hey, do you think we could stop and rest for the night? I'm totally wiped out," I admitted. Andrew managed to peel his gaze away from our hands for a few seconds to answer me.

"I'm afraid we can't stop, Chloe. If we do, then Tori and Simon might walk right by us, and we'd never know! We'll have to keep walking."

"Yeah, you're right. I was just-"

"I'll carry you, and you can sleep," Derek offered. His voice was raspy because he hadn't spoken in a few hours. I blushed, his offer was very appealing, but I couldn't let him carry me for miles when he was tired as well.

"No, I'm alright. I can walk, really." I tried to put as much conviction in my statement as I possibly could, but the yawn that managed to escape my mouth destroyed my credibility.

"Chloe, you look like you're going to pass out at any moment. I suggest you listen to Derek."

"No! I mean…no, I'm okay, really." I smiled, hoping they had forgotten about the traitorous yawn. Derek mumbled something under his breath, and the next thing I knew, he had swung me onto his back. _A piggyback? That's a bit strange…_

"Hold on," he rasped, securing his grip on my thighs. I snaked my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Thanks for the lift," I joked. "But I don't think I'll be able to get any sleep like this." I could see the hint of a smile playing at his lips before he dropped his gaze and frowned again. He was worried about Simon, and it was causing him to resort to the grouchy version of Derek I used to become so frustrated with. Without thinking, I smacked him hard in the back of the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" He demanded angrily.

I struggled to find a decent comeback, finally deciding on sticking with something plain and simple: "For being an idiot!" I informed him confidently. He chuckled lightly; a smile making it's way onto his face. Beside us, Andrew was laughing as well, and I felt guilty for wishing we were alone- Andrew had brought us to the safehouse and looked after us, and it was our turn to return the favour. I shouldn't be so selfish, especially-

"Well, it doesn't seem like they missed us at all Simon. I think we should just head back and find some cushy hotel to stay in. What do you think?"

"TORI!" I screamed, forgetting the close proximity between my mouth and Derek's ear. He winched in pain. "Sorry," I whispered, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of his ear. I thought I was being sneaky, but apparently not.

"EWW! Keep your PDA to a minimum, PUH-LEASE!"

Tori was obviously back to normal, which meant she was fine. It also meant they had no reason to be so late to return, which meant we had spent all that time worrying about them, _for nothing._

"What the hell Tori? Where have you guys been? It's been almost a full day since you guys left!" She rolled her eyes.

"Wow, Derek must be rubbing off on you." She raised her eyebrows suggestively, but when no one laughed, she continued in an annoyed tone. "Well, as you've all seen, this road takes over 6 hours to walk, and we had to stop to get food, _obviously. _Then we had to stop at an ATM to get money out of your bank account, then we went to get clothes for everybody, AND THEN we-"

Derek interrupted her tirade. "Still, all of that would've only taken a few hours. What were you guys doing that took so much time?" Tori bit her lip and looked away, avoiding eye contact. Derek and I shifted our gaze to Simon as he kicked a pebble out of his way.

"It was my fault guys," he admitted, hanging his head. "I wasn't watching out for myself, and I collapsed right as we got to the city. Tori had to revive me, then she took me to the town doctor to get checked out." We all stared at Tori, who was clicking her tongue, oblivious to what Simon was saying.

Derek was the first to speak.

"You collapsed?" He asked, looking straight at Simon. When Simon didn't say anything, he turned to Tori. "And you…you saved him?" His eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as if he couldn't comprehend what Simon has said.

"Yeah, I did, and don't act all surprised. I'm pretty sure I was also the one who saved all of your asses back there." She motioned to the horizon, obviously talking about our encounter with her mother. I let go of Derek's neck, hitting the ground with a _thump! _I made my way over to where Tori was standing and put my arm around her shoulder.

"Yes, and we're ever so grateful Tori. Can we please stop arguing now? I'm exhausted, and now that we've found you guys, we can finally set up camp again."

Everyone nodded simultaneously and we got to work.

Less than three hours later everyone was asleep. Tori and Simon had purchased sleeping bags and a larger tent, which meant everyone had a comfortable place to sleep. I was exhausted, but no matter how many times I fluffed up my pillow, turned over, or tried counting sheep, I couldn't manage to fall asleep.

After almost an hour I gave up the struggle, deciding instead to go assist Derek with the watch. Like every other night, he was leaning against a tree, his eyes alert and wary.

"Hey." I said softly, secretly hoping to startle him.

"Hey. Why aren't you sleeping?" he asked, concerned.

"I just couldn't, you know?"

"Sure." He patted the ground next to him and I sat down. He placed his hand over mine and I scooted closer. He played with my fingers absentmindedly for a while, staring off into the distance. Any other night that would have been enough, but I was tired of silence.

"Derek?"

"Yeah?" I searched my mind desperately for something to say, finally settling on the first thing that popped into my head.

"W-What was that s-soulmate th-thing you and Simon were talking about the other night?"

His eyes widened in shock."How did you-?"

"Tori's snores kept me up the whole night, and I heard you guys talking…" He sighed, and the sound of it almost made me feel guilty.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"It's just…I don't know if I should tell you." I pouted, jumping to my feet. _After everything we'd been through, he was still keeping secrets?!_

"Wait, Chloe! I didn't mean it like that. I meant… I don't know if I should because…well, it's strange and will most likely send you running for the hills," he admitted gravely.

"After everything I've seen, I'm still here, aren't I?" I reminded him.

"Yeah…" He grabbed my hand, leading my back to the tree he had used as a lookout post earlier. We sat down, but he didn't release my hand.

"Just promise me you won't freak out, okay? Because I don't even know if it's true or not." I nodded, accepting his terms. "Ok, well…Ok. Wolves are really…loyal animals, so when they…find someone, they stick with them for a long time." He paused to gauge my reaction. I just nodded again, willing him to get on with it. "By a long time, I mean…life. And werewolves are _supposedly _the same way." He emphasized the word 'supposedly', as if it was the only thing that would keep me from running. "Once they…find someone it's... for life. They can't love anyone else..." He stated, averting his gaze. He was _blushing! _

Once again, it was time to put my acting skills to the test. "So what you're saying is, we're in this _for life?!" _I allowed myself to sound disgusted, waiting to see what he would do.

His head snapped up and his eyes were filled with sadness. I immediately felt guilty about my little trick, stroking his cheek so he would know I was kidding. "I don't think it's true; it's just some lie told to werewolves to make them faithful to their wives or something," he lied, and I could see right through it.

I lifted myself up onto his lap, placing my hand on his cheek again. "I know you're lying," I informed him. "But I don't care. I'll be here for as long as you want me to be. Maybe even longer; my friends always used to tell me I had weird stalker-ish tendencies." He laughed before lowering his lips to mine, tangling his hand in my hair. I could feel the urgency in his kisses, as if he thought I would be leaving any second now. "I'm not going anywhere," I reminded him. He pulled away.

"Promise me." He growled.

"I promise." He returned his lips to mine, the urgency and desperation still evident. I wound my legs around him, making it easier for him to reach my lips. I grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling his face closer to mine. He pulled away from my lips, kissing his way down my neck instead. A soft moan escaped my lips, and I was glad I was no longer sitting in his lap- it probably wouldn't have been a very comfortable place to be at the moment.

He pulled away again. "Chloe-"

"Please don't ruin the moment," I begged, crushing my lips against his to stop him from speaking. There was something different about tonight: a sense of impending doom, making us realize we only so had much time left to us… I could feel the electricity in the air and I reveled in it, reminding myself that if we managed to survive what lay ahead, this would be what the rest of my nights would be like. We didn't know what was coming, and not knowing made us anxious and impatient…

I could feel him relaxing as he unwrapping my legs from around his torso and laid me down on the ground. I could feel myself loosing control, and part of my knew it was wrong; but I chased the thought from my head, telling myself it was time I got to enjoy some miniscule part of my pathetic excuse for a life.

He pressed his lips to mine again and I bit down, causing him to groan. His hand was at my waist, pulling me closer, and I could feel his-

_Uh, EARTH TO CHLOE! THIS IS YOUR CONSCIENCE SPEAKING! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? _

I stifled a laugh, although it was a rather good question. Why was I letting myself get so carried away? What happened to the logical, left-brained Chloe- the girl who was always in control?

The question slipped from my mind as I watched Derek pull back enough to remove his shirt.

_Oh God…_

I traced the pattern of the muscles on his stomach, memorizing every curve and line. He shuddered and caught my hand, bringing it back up to his face and holding it there. When he released it, I lowered both of my hands and fingered the hem of my shirt, prepared to follow his lead.

He pinned my hands to my sides, stopping me. I gazed up at him, a silent question in his eyes: _Are you sure?_ I nodded, letting my certainty show in my eyes. Derek lowered his face to mine again, still holding my hands down. He was trailing kisses from my cheek to my shoulder, lightly brushing my skin with his lips. I wound my legs around him again, shoving myself against him, somewhat surprised at the reaction I had provoked.

I nibbled at his ear and he groaned again; there was some major sexual tension in the air...

Thoughts swirled in my head, many of them irrelevant and most of them not making any sense at all. I remembered Tori's words a few nights before: _"Forests like these are were most horny teenagers' dreams come true!" _she had said. I struggled to hold back my laughter, noting the definite irony of the situation.

He released my hands; I found the hem of my shirt and began pulling it up- it was a bit hard with him practically on top of me, and I had only pulled it up enough to reveal my bellybutton before he tensed up and pulled back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, the sting of rejection bringing tears to my eyes_. I thought_ _he wanted this…?_

"Well, lookie here! Looks like we were right before, Liam. This mutt definitely found himself a bitch." I recognized Ramon's voice, the sound of it sending chills down my spine. _How did they find us? And more importantly, why couldn't Derek smell them? _I watched as they stepped out of the forest into our little makeshift campsite, smiling so big it looked like their faces were about to explode. I was on my feet in a flash, pulling my switchblade out of my back pocket. Derek had positioned himself in front of me protectively, and I watched as Liam walked forward slowly, stopping inches in front of Derek.

"You've got no chance of escape this time, mutt. And sweetheart?" He ducked under Derek's arm, smiling when he saw the look on my face. "Don't bother with the knife this time, because we met up with your lil' friends from that group, and they've got this place surrounded."

---

**Author's Note: Gosh darn it! I just had to go and ruin it, didn't I?**

**Of course I did! :D **

**How'd you like that little almost-lemon? Good enough for now, right? Yeah? No? Well, you're ugly! *Sticks tongue out at computer screen like a maniac* Just kidding! Anyways, I really wanna write the next chapter tonight, but I've decided not to start it unless I get at least 15 reviews for **_**this**_** chapter. **

**Yeah, I went there! ;) So please, PLEASE review guys. (Yes, I'm talking to all of you who read but never, ever, ever, review! :[ ) REVIEWWWW!!!**


	17. Capture

**Author's Note:** Hayyy, ya'll! It's like, early morning (for me anyways) right now, but for some reason I can't get back to sleep, so I'm gunna get a head start on this chapter while I'm awake (yay!). Sorry about the lateness (yet again), but I had a lot to do yesterday. I'm gunna be pretty busy for the next couple of weeks, so my updates might have to be every other day instead of just everyday (I'm sorry guys, but it's the only way!) **DAILY UPDATES WILL MOST LIKELY CONTINUE! **but I might have to skip a day sometimes. I hope you guys can understand :(

So, how'd you guys like the last chapter? A lot of you guys said you liked the almost-lemon, and that's great, cuz I was afraid I'd messed it up pretty royally…Anyways, guess what? For the first time in a long time, I'm majorly PO'd. Why? Because there's someone out there in Fanfiction land that has decided to imitate my story…

I don't think I'm being over-the-top about this, and I'm sorry if I sound like a possessive psycho… I know that some stories are bound to be alike, seeing as there are only a few possible ways to take the story, but when the first paragraph of someone's story is almost _word-for-word _for your own, well, that's when you get angry, right?

**And because I know that this person is reading this: Please, just stop. I'm not going to call you out on it, because you already know who you are. I'm glad you enjoy my writing, but imitating it just isn't right. It hurts people, and I seriously considered giving up on this story because of it, and that isn't something I wanted to do, especially because it would be unfair to the readers. **

Anywho… Laughs nervously this chapter is gunna be all Chloe POV, just like the previous one. I love Tori and Simon, but I feel like I should be telling the story from Chloe's perspective more, so her POV will be used for a while. And…

**Christina: I'm so proud of you, ya lil huss! Writing your very first chapter and getting everything all set up! This chapter's for you!**

**Questions:**

**Question #1:** Do you guys think I'm overreacting? (You don't have to answer that if you don't want to…)

**Question #2:** How'd you discover DP?

**Question #3:** How long do you think I should make this story (chapter wise)? I'm thinking about 30 at the moment (it could change), but what do you guys think?

BTW! Thanks you to everyone who reviewed last chapter. Sorry for being a review whore, but when I only got 3 reviews for chapter 15, I got really sad :(

---

**Disclaimer: **Tori and I are negotiating:

Tori: Ok, I'm prepared to offer you a full night with Simon. You can do anything you want to him, but then you have to let us go.

Me: No, I don't think I can do that. You need to sweeten the deal somehow.

Tori: Okay, how bout a full night with Simon, and ONE HOUR with Derek?

Me: Depends, but I like where you're going with this…

Tori: Okay. How about: a full night with Simon, one hour with Derek, and I keep my mouth shut about the fact that you don't own Darkest Powers?

Me: Deal!  
*Spits into hand*

Tori: *Looks at my hand*  
Ugh…never mind.

**---- **

**Capture**

**Chloe POV**

I groggily opened my eyes, feeling disorientated, dazed, and confused. One glance around at my pristine surroundings told me I was back at Edison Group headquarters, locked up once again.

"I see you're awake now, princess." The demi-demon's voice startled me enough to chase the grogginess away. My eyes snapped open immediately as the memories came flooding back. I groaned, overwhelmed by it all.

"Foolish child," the demon mocked me, an almost maternal edge to her voice.

"Leave me alone!" I croaked- I really didn't need this right now. The memories of the forest, of Liam and Ramon finding us, the Edison group moving in, Tori's screams…It all returned to me, crystal clear, the lucid memories replaying over and over in my head.

I gazed at my surroundings again, hoping to distract myself somehow. I was in the same room as last time, the furniture exactly the way I had left it: the thick carpet, double bed, armchair and desk looked too mundane and innocent to belong here in this prison. I hopped up off the bed, the swirl of drugs in my brain causing me to sway hazardously. I gripped the bedpost, avoiding the imminent fall. _Did they really have to drug me? I mean, common!_

I heard the demi-demon laugh- she was enjoying this, watching me struggle to clear my head.

"Go away!" I snapped. She began laughing harder, and I would bet that if she had a body, she would be rolling on the ground with laughter. _What a bitch! _Ithought angrily.

"I'm warning you- leave me alone, or I'll _make you _leave. I'll send you spinning back to hell so fast you won't know what hit you!" I was amazed at how calm I sounded, threatening the epitome of evil and all…

The laughing stopped, and I could tell the demon was angry. "Insolent girl!" she shrieked. You think your threats scare _me?" _I left my face harden into an expressionless mask while waiting for her to continue. When she did, her voice was softer, but I could still sense a hint of anger.

"Do you think taking your anger out on me will help you escape this prison?" she asked. "It's quite the opposite, really. You've allowed yourself to be captured by these fools again, when you could have been rid of them _the first time_. I _told _you to take my advice, but you were to proud; too naïve, holding on to your delusion that the good must stay good in order to conquer evil…but look where that foolhardy idea has gotten you! Right back where you started! Except this time, my dear, you've dragged your little canine cohort and those two sorcerer children down with you! You have no hopes of escape now! So tell me, are you still too stupid to take my advice? Or would you rather rot here?"

I stood there, speechless.

In a weird, twisted way, she was right. I could have ended this a long time ago if I had just swallowed my pride and allowed her to help me destroy the Edison Group…but at the same time, I couldn't find it inside me to regret my decision- I didn't want the deaths of hundreds of people (even if they were evil) on my hands _or_ my conscience.

"Not yet…I need to think," I told her. "First I have to find a way out of here, _then _we can think about ways to end this. Okay?"

"Whatever you wish."

I sat down on the edge of my bed and out my head in my hands. _What am I going to do?_ I asked myself. _Derek, Tori, Simon, Andrew, Aunt Lauren…we're all trapped here! There's no way out… _I sighed, closing my eyes and breathing deeply, trying to organize my thoughts. I needed to think up a strategy- a plan to get us all out safely- I couldn't rely on miracles or luck anymore.

"You know how to get out of here- simply release me and you'll be free." I shook my head, trying unsuccessfully to tune her out. "No, not yet. I have to-"

The unmistakable sound of the door unlocking made me pause. In stepped Dr. Davidoff, all smiles and cheer radiating off him in waves. "Chloe!" He smiled, as if greeting a long-lost friend. "I'm so glad you came to your senses. We were quite worried about you!" He smiled to accentuate his point.

"Came to my…?"

"Yes, Chloe. We're so glad you decided to come back to us!"

"YOU BASTARD! YOU DRAGGED ME HERE AGAINST MY WILL! YOU HELD A GUN TO MY HEAD!" I exploded, my voice filled with all the hatred I felt towards him and his little cult.

"No matter; you and I both know you would've come eventually, Chloe. You're not cut out for a life on the road; a girl who's grown up like you have." He smiled again, thinking I would take it like a compliment. If I could, I would cast him as the incredibly idiotic Mr. Collins from _Pride & Prejudice_, because _that_ guy could never seem to get a clue _either. _Did he really think I would have come crawling back to him because of a lack of comfort? Did he really think I was going to comply if they gave me a bed and a shower?

_Someone should really have taken the time to give him the 'hugs, not drugs!' speech..._

I smiled, playing along. "You know, I _was _getting awfully tired of sleeping on the ground… maybe now you can teach me the proper way to deal with my powers, and we can forget this ever happened?" I sent another smile his way, hoping my 'cute factor' was still in effect. He beamed at me.

"That's the spirit, Chloe! We'll teach you everything you need to know; then, there will be no reason for all of this!" He waved his hands around, indicating my lavish cell.

"Thank you so much! May I…try to convince the others?" The smile left his face, replaced by a tight- lipped frown.

"I'm sorry Chloe, that's not…feasible at the moment. We have to make sure you're serious about this; we can't risk another escape, after all!" I felt my heart sink down into my stomach- being able to speak with Tori, Simon, and Derek was the only reason I had even played his little game.

"But I will allow Rae to pay you a visit! She's doing so well!" His face lit up, illuminated by pride. I nodded slowly, distracted by the demon who was whispering in my ear.

"Yes, he's ever so proud of the girl; just like her mother, she is…and so much like her daddy, too!" she chuckled to herself, humored by her own statement. I ignored her, returning my focus to the good doctor.

"Um…Dr. Davidoff? May I please see my Aunt sometime soon?" He smiled sadly, as if it hurt him to refuse my request.

"I'm sorry Chloe, but that would be counter-productive at this point in time; maybe in a few weeks when you've adapted?"

I nodded. He really needed to work on his strategies if he thought my Aunt was the only thing keeping me from joining his happy little group…

It was just like Lyle House, where they'd locked us up, not allowing us any visitors because of the fear of someone 'interfering'.

"Well, I'll leave you to rest now. Rae will check up on you soon." He smiled stiffly before spinning around and walking out. The '_BOOM!' _sound made by the door was loud, the finality of it echoing throughout the room.

"Wow…what a creep!"

"Liz!" I shrieked, sounding like one of those boy-crazy girls I used to despise. I whipped my head around to look over at her, perched on the desk.

"How'd you find me?"

"I've been watching this place ever since you guys left. I wanted to find out what they did with my…stuff," She said vaguely. I nodded gravely; she had probably been about to say 'body'.

"So, what can I do to help?" She asked, her usually cheerful demeanor returned.

"A lot, but first, I need you to check on everyone: Derek, Tori, Simon, Andrew, and my Aunt Lauren."

"No problem. Be right back!" She slipped through the door and disappeared, leaving me alone with my thoughts- and an aggravated creature of hell.

"She can't help you like I can, you know."

"I don't care."

"Would you like to die here like she did, then?"

I narrowed my eyes."Let's just say for a moment that I did release you- then what? Would you keep your promise to help, or would you just destroy us all? Your kind have a tendency to be untrustworthy, you know." The sound of her laughter filled the room, even if I was the only person who could hear it.

"We're not all bad, you know. Most of us prefer to keep to ourselves."

"Yeah, it's more fun to torture people alone, isn't it?" I said sarcastically. "I can't trust you to keep your promise, and I'm not going to risk killing everyone."

"What if I gave you my word? My word that nothing will befall you or your little friends?" She was bargaining now, desperate for a taste of freedom.

"I don't know…"

Liz returned then, and by the look on her face, I knew something was really wrong.

"It's horrible, Chloe! Tori and Simon are completely out of it! They're so drugged up they don't even remember their own names! And your Aunt and Andrew are being held somewhere else, but they're torturing them! They're trying to decide whether to get rid of your Aunt Lauren or not, and Andrew; they're trying to find out where Simon's dad is, but he doesn't know either!" She looked like she was close to tears, and I felt the same way.

"And Derek? What did you find out about Derek, Liz?" I knew she had neglected to mention him for a reason…

"Chloe…"

"Just tell me Liz!" Now was _so_ not the time to tiptoe around anything.

"It's so horrible, Chloe! They have him chained to a table! They keeping injecting him with these weird drugs, hoping to get him to Change early or something, except it's not working! They're just making him thrash around violently and pass out and stuff like that!" She paused to take a breath, although she probably didn't need to…

"That's not all! They keep telling him lies, about how he's a killer and a danger to humanity… They told him that once they find a drug that works, they're gunna hand him over to the Pack!" She shook her head, trying to erase the images that were haunting her. My shoulders slumped down and I placed my head in my hands again.

"What are we going to do, Liz? We have to save them! We have to get out of here!" I said desperately.

The voice that answered me _definitely_ wasn't Liz.

"You know how to end this, girl. Now stop delaying… or do you want your boyfriend to die?"

"Tell me what I have to do."

---

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed that chapter! I'm holding out for 15 reviews before I start the next one. :)**


	18. Warnings

**Author's Note**: Hello my lovelies! How art thou feeling on this fine and gracious morning?

I love talking Shakespeare-ish, don't you? :) Anyways, I don't really have much to say today, but I would like to take the time to thankith those whom have given me their opinions and comments. You guys are the reason I'm still writing! (and still speaking Shakespearean, but that's a while other story…)

This chapter will be pretty action-y, and way longer than usual, which is good, right? Also, a lot of you guys told me you like to watch Supernatural, so you'll probably note the ideas I borrowed for this chapter. Hopefully it doesn't sound too 'out there' to be in DP, but I'll leave that up to you guys.

Some of you guys asked me why I have to shift around the updates, so I'll answer you all here: There are a bunch of reasons, but here are the most predominant:

I accepted 2 beta requests, and I want to be able to give those people's stories my full attention. It really wouldn't be fair if I didn't.

As the story develops, I find myself needing to write more and more. Sometimes I really wanna keep writing (I don't always plan the cliffhangers!) but I can't, because I have other obligations to deal with. So, for the sake of the story, there might need to be some late updating now and then, although I promise there will never be 2 days without an update. Sound good? :)

AND! I'd just like to say, to all of the people from Lebanon - and everyone else too, but I come from Lebanon, so I wanted to give a mini shoutout -reading this (apparently there are 4 of you guys) thank you for reading! My mother is somewhere among you at the moment, so watch out! :D

Ce son les questionnes (Here are the questions):

**Question #1**: Do you guys think I should finish this fanfic first before starting another one? I have the idea ready and everything, but I'm not sure whether I should hold off until this story's complete.

**Question #2:** Who here is a Twilight fan? (I can hear your fangirl screams; don't even try to deny it!) I find it kinda sad that there are only 5 or 6 Twilight/ DP crossovers, don't you?

Merci pour votre réponses (*Rolls eyes* Thank you for answering!)

---

**Disclaimer: **Simon and I are talking while everyone else sleeps.

Me: So then I started twitching and stuff! Apparently it was pretty funny, because my sister couldn't stop laughing!

Simon: I wish Derek would just laugh when that happens! He just starts freaking out and stuff like that!

Me: Yeah, Derek's so hot and spicy! He's so dark and mysterious, all broody and grouchy…Mmmmm! He makes me wanna-

Simon: Oh…ok? So, umm…. now that we're friends, you think you could let us out?

Me: You know Simon; I dated a boy like you once…

Simon: Really? That's…cool.

Me: Yeah…I had to end it though, because he tried to get me to believe I didn't own Darkest Powers. Then he had his accident…

Simon: What…what happened to him?

Me: Well, I'm not quite sure, but the RCMP are still hoping he'll turn up one day!  
*Smiles sweetly*

Simon: *Eyes widen in horror*

---

**Warnings**

**Chloe POV**

I couldn't believe the words that had just come out of my mouth. Had I just gone against my every moral principle and agreed to let some crazed demon slaughter hundreds of people for me?

Apparently, I had.

She had been providing me with the instructions on how to release her-apparently it wasn't as easy as raising spirits and bodies- and I had been following them cautiously all afternoon, careful not to make any mistakes incase it resulted in some disastrous occurrence.

"Now draw the circle," the demon instructed impatiently, my slow and steady pace bothering her. I did as I was told, carefully squeezing the pink shampoo onto the floor in an almost perfect circle.

The demon had told me that in order to release her I would need to draw the opposite of a demon trap- a summoning circle. It actually looked more like a sun, with 6 points radiating out from the center. Inside these points were ancient symbols, written in a forgotten language- drawing these had taken me the longest because of the complicated shapes and strokes. Now the shampoo bottle was almost empty, and there was what would look like to some people to be some sort of voodoo worshipper's drawing- the kind of thing you see in almost every exorcist movie- on the bathroom floor. I studied the circle, hoping for the millionth time that day that the demon wouldn't betray me…

"Very good, Chloe. We're almost finished here. Now, you see that towel? Rip it into precisely four pieces." I tiptoed over to the towel rack, avoiding the shampoo on the floor.

I had only managed to rip the towel in half before I heard a knock at the door. "Chloe…?" I flushed the toilet, then bolted out of the bathroom.

"Hey Rae!" I said, hoping she couldn't detect the nervous edge to my voice. I smiled sweetly at her.

"Chloe! I'm so glad you're here, girl! I missed you so much!" She pulled me into a bear hug, squeezing me to her. Apparently Dr. Davidoff had already informed her of my change in heart…

"Yeah, I missed you too Rae!" She released me then, stepping back to examine me.

"You look different, Chloe."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I just smiled. "Yeah, weeks of living on the run can do that to a girl. I swear, I would've killed for a shower!" She laughed then, but it sounded superficial and thin to me.

"You're not gunna try and escape again though, are you? Everyone was so worried about you Chloe! And it's really great here, once you give it a try. They give you everything you could ever want, and I've learned so much about my powers! Look!"

She held her fingers up a few inches from my eyes, her gaze locked on her palm. A few second passed and suddenly flames sprung from her fingertips, causing me to jump back in alarm.

"Omigod Rae! That's…amazing!" I watched as she rubbed her hands together, the flames growing and enveloping her hands until she appeared to be wearing fiery gloves.

"Yeah, I know right? I learned that one last week. Now I'm working on doing the same thing with my entire body!" she told me, sounding like she was discussing her hopes to ace a test or something.

"That's great! So, what do you think they'll be teaching me?" I asked, making conversation.

"I don't know, but it'll probably be just as cool as this." She smiled at me before sitting down on the bed. I noticed her fingers were still alight; did she think I was going to attack her or something?

The demon's voice tickled my ear, answering my question. "Yes… 'Doc' has told her to keep her guard up. I'm afraid they don't trust you very much, Chloe." She chuckled, the sound resonating around the room eerily.

"Now get her out of here so we can get on with the show!," she demanded impatiently.

"Ok, ok! Calm down, will you?" I mumbled, praying Rae wouldn't notice.

She did. "What'd you say, Chloe?" She asked.

"Oh! I said, 'would we be able to have lunch together tomorrow?'" I fabricated quickly.

"Oh…sure!" She smiled suspiciously. _Crap!_

"Well, I'm gunna take a nap now. I don't know why, but I'm _really _tired for some reason," I lied, yawning to add to the general effect. _Of course _I knew the real reason- the incredibly large amounts of drugs in my system. Rae nodded before turning towards the door.

"Well, I'll see ya later, Chloe!" She hugged me again, pausing to whisper something in my ear.

"Check your pocket!" I nodded, confused.

She smiled sadly before exiting the room, closing the door gently behind her. I waited until the sound of her retreating footsteps faded before making my way to the bathroom. Once inside, I locked the door and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. I reached inside my pockets, my left hand emerging from my pocket with a crumpled piece of paper. _When had Rae had the chance to slip this in my pocket? _I wondered. I gingerly unfurled it and read:

_Chloe,_

_I'm so sorry about all of this. You were right: this place isn't safe for us. I heard Dr. Davidoff talking, and he said they're planning on using you to make some sort of army. You need to get out of here somehow, but I can't help. Again, I'm sorry girl. I had no friggin' idea this was gunna happen- I thought it was the best thing for us. Guess I thought wrong…If you find a way out, don't come back for me. Good luck.  
__-Rae_

I could feel the tears prickling my eyes. I brushed my fingers against my eyes, wiping them away before they could spill over.

"Enough. You can cry about lost friendships later… now is the time for vengeance! Or have you forgotten that they're torturing your boyfriend this very moment?" I jumped at her reminder and resumed my desecration of the towel, ripping it into four equal parts. "Now this is the hard part, child. You're going to need to put a few drops of blood on each piece of the towel." I gulped. When had I ever agreed to a blood sacrifice?

The demon sighed impatiently. "Just pick that scab on your knee, it should bleed enough for your purpose." I gazed down at the scab on my knee and the memory of how I received it came flooding back.

_I had been running from Liam when Ramon had tackled me from the side, pushing me into the branches of a bush. I thrashed around trying to escape, and a branch scrapped my leg, ripping away pieces of skin from every part of my body…_

"Wake up!" The demons scream wretched me out of the horrifying memory, and for once I was glad to have her there with me. "Now, if you're _done daydreaming_: Pick the scab, then when you've finished, place a towel in each corner of the room."

I did what she told me and placed a towel in each corner of the cold bathroom, the red drops on each towel reminding me of what I was doing.

"Now what?" I asked tentatively.

"Now you must say a few words, but don't worry, I'll help with the pronunciation." I was pretty sure she was mocking me, but I couldn't find the energy to care.

"Ok, I'll say your magic words; but first, I want to talk to Liz again for a few moments."

She sighed. "And what good what that do? Talk to her once you're free!" She sounded like a whining parent accusing their child of spending too much time on the phone.

"It'll just be for a few moments! You cut her off last time, and I want to make sure she's alright."

"She's dead, she can't be anymore 'alright' than she is now, you idiotic child!"

I shrugged my shoulders at her comment and exited the washroom again.

I shut my eyes in order to be able to concentrate in the task at hand. "Liz, are you there? Liz, if you can hear me, I really need to talk to you! Please, Liz!" I repeated this several times before opening my eyes. Liz was perched on the desk again, looking nervous.

"Chloe? What happened before?" She was scared, that much I could tell. "One second I'm talking to you, and the next second, I'm completely out of it!"

"I'm sorry, Liz. That was just some very rude spirit who was passing through." I lied, knowing she'd freak out if I told her what had really happened.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Liz. Don't worry about it. Now, can you go check on the others again for me?"

"Sure." And before I could thank her, she was gone. I waited, settling myself on the bed just in case. She returned moments later, looking somber.

"What's wrong, Liz?" I asked.

"I can't find any of them, Chloe! They're not where they were before!" I could see the transparent tears forming in her eyes and I could hear my heart pounding rapidly.

_What a clichéd twist! _I though to myself. _Just as everything is about to look up and there's a chance of escape, something like this happens…_

The demon's voice rang out again, snapping me out of my daze. "Stop delaying, child. The time to act is now, or it'll soon be too late for your precious friends."

Liz's eyes widened in horror. "What was that, Chloe?" She asked in barely a whisper.

"That was my way out," I told her bluntly.

"But that wasn't a spirit, Chloe! That sounded like…" She stopped short, afraid to finish her own sentence.

"Chloe, you need to stay away from that demon! "

I sighed. "Yes, Liz. That was a demon; but she's here to help!" I could hear how naïve I sounded, and it worried me. Spirits seemed to know a lot more than humans, and if Liz thought a demon was bad news, then who was I to judge for myself?

"Need I remind you that your friends are in mortal danger?" the demon asked sarcastically. I shook my head and followed her voice back into the washroom, turning my back on Liz and forgetting her warning completely.

*******

"Now you must sit in the center of the circle and repeat after me," the demon instructed. I did as I was told and seated myself in the center of the soapy drawing. I crossed my legs and waited for more instructions.

"Now repeat after me." She began chanting in a complicated language-I was almost sure it was Latin, but it could have been something else- stringing together words and phrases quickly. I wasn't sure I could keep up, but once I began testing the words out, they began to flow effortlessly from my mouth, joining together just like my words in the forest that day. Eventually, I realized the demon had stopped, and I was the only one speaking. The sound of my chanting filled the bathroom, the words loosing definition and the whole thing turning into more of a hum. I could feel something happening, but my power was on the 'low' setting, so I allowed it all to flow through me, knowing it was the only way.

I looked around and noticed for the first time that the shampoo drawing I had made earlier was glowing eerily. I closed my eyes and continued, knowing the glowing was just another part of the ritual. The room was getting hotter, and I was sweating pretty intensely, which almost made me stop before I remembered why I was doing this in the first place. _Derek, Tori, Simon, Aunt Lauren, Andrew, and Rae. _I allowed their names to dominate my thoughts, flashes of their faces playing inside my head when I closed my eyes.

_This is for you, guys…I love you all._

I opened my eyes, realizing the chanting had stopped. Was it over?

I could hear malicious, victorious laughter behind me.

I stood up and spun around, coming face-to-face with the demon…except she didn't look like a demon. Other than the eyes – completely black- she looked like a successful businesswoman in her mid-twenties, dressed in a red blazer, black dress pants, and high heels. She smiled at me, the black of her eyes replaced by white. "Thank you for releasing me, Chloe. Now I'm going to do good on my promise." Her smile became wicked as she inched towards me, and I backed away, gripping the sink for support.

"I t-thought you s-said nothing b-bad w-w-would happen to us!"

She sneered. "I said no harm would befall your friends, you stupid child. I never promised that YOU would make it out alive!" She giggled then, as if imaging the fun she was going to have while ending my life.

What had I done?

"You can have your way with me once you get my friends out of here," I bargained.

She pouted, her eyes resorting to their original colour. "But that wouldn't be any fun!" she protested, her baby talk seriously pissing me off.

She frowned, seeing my expression. "Calm down! I'll release your friends… but I'm going to have a little fun with you first!" Her smile grew as she came closer, and I closed my eyes, praying she'd end it quickly.

---

**A/N: Well, lookie here; another cliffie! Don't worry, no cliffies next chappie, I promise-ie! (?) :)**

**Kay guys, I'm gunna need 20 reviews for this chapter or else Chloe's gunna be demon-chow! ;) REVIEW!!!**


	19. Sacrifice

**Author's Note**: I promise today's is going to be a short one, guys! And sorry about it taking so long- I had to read Wide Awake :D

How's everyone today? I'm feeling kinda happy…how bout you? That's good. :) So, how are you enjoying the story so far?

Guess what? If this story were a book, it would be more than 180 pages long! Isn't that amazing? Especially since I only started writing it 21 days ago! Excuse me while I happy dance :) I had no idea I had it in me to write a novel (almost)! I'd like to that my mom for leaving me with nothing to do all summer but write, and CHRISTINA, because I love her more than life itself and she has taken it upon herself to read & review every single chapter (That was your shoutout, in case you didn't know that). Thank you! Thank you! And to everyone who continues to review daily: THANK YOU, TOO!

See, that wasn't so bad, was it?

**Question #1**: How many of you guys think I should eventually write a lemon for this story? If I get more yes's than no's (tell me in your reviews) then I will make it happen…eventually. ;)

**Question #2**: How old is everybody? (No, I'm not a creeper or a rapist, I just wanna know because of the lemon thing…although, I'm one to talk.)

---

**Disclaimer:** Simon and I are arguing…

Simon: You can't keep us here!

Me: Yes, I can. You'll be here until I decide to give you back to Kelley Armstrong.

Simon: That's not fair!

Me: Yes, it is. Now tell everyone I don't own Darkest Powers, or I'll let Christina here have her way with you.

Christina: *Smiles like a creeper*  
You're so periiiiiiitty! So beautiful…

Simon: *gulps*  
She…doesn't own Darkest Powers.

---

**Sacrifice**

**Chloe POV**

I closed my eyes and waited, praying she'd end it quickly…

After a while, I opened them again, wondering why nothing had happened yet.

The demon's face was distorted with rage as she lunged forward towards me…

She flew backwards, slamming into the towel rack. _What the hell?! _

I watched as she struggled to pull herself up off the soapy floor, cursing and muttering under her breath. Once she was upright, she fixed me with a glare. "So you're not a weak and useless as you seem, I take it. Using a binding on me? You think you're clever, don't you, little girl?" She laughed anxiously, her concern for herself revealed by the look on her face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused by her words. _What's a binding, anyway?_

"You're little magic trick is humorous at best… you know you really shouldn't try it out on your friends!" She chuckled to herself.

"Again, what the hell are you talking about?" I demanded impatiently.

"Why do you think I can't get near you?" she spat. "You did something to shield yourself from me!" I could see the rage in her eyes, her anger at being overcome by a mere child; but I hadn't even done anything! What could she be talking about?

Almost like a reflex reaction, I grabbed the pendant hanging from my throat. I released it almost immediately, feeling the searing heat that was radiating off it. _What the…? Is this why that thing can't come anywhere near me? _

I glanced down at my necklace, gasping when I saw something that looked like the summoning circle I had just drawn on the floor etched into the face of the jewel. Just like before, a strange glowing light that seemed to originate from inside the stone illuminated the drawing. I could see the strange symbols and letters from before, this time written in a different order. I gripped the stone tightly, ignoring the protests coming from my hands.

Almost immediately, I felt a strange sense of calm. I blinked, taken aback when I realized I could see symbols swirling around in the air. There were hundreds of thousands of them, most of them grouped around the demon in what seemed to be a cage of some sort. There were also a few circling me, creating spinning trails of colour. _This must be what the demon meant about a shield. Hmm…_

I decided it was a good time to experiment.

I gingerly walked forward, squeezing the stone as hard as I could, fearing that if I let go, the protective shield would disappear, and I would be left to my own devices once again. Every time I took a step forward, the demon would be forced backwards in order to maintain the distance between us. Eventually, she was forced up against the wall. I giggled, imagining the catch phrases I could use with my new identity: Chloe Saunders, _Demon Slayer! _

_Focus, Chloe!_

_Right, sorry…_

I returned my attention to the demon cowering pathetically against the wall. "So, I guess this means playtime is gunna be cut short today?" I mocked her, enjoying watching her squirm. "Cause ya know you can't touch me, right?"

She smiled wildly. "No, I can't… but I don't need to be able to touch you to end your pathetic life."

She pushed herself off the wall, raised her hand, and suddenly the whole bathroom was engulfed in flames.

I let out a scream, hoping someone would hear it and come investigate. The demon was still in front of the wall, pushed backwards by the power of my necklace. I racked my mind for some sort of plan, knowing I'd have to be the one to end this…

The heat inside the bathroom was disorientating, and I couldn't concentrate, couldn't breathe. My eyelids began to droop, and the peaceful obliviousness of darkness was calling out to me…

"CHLOE! YOU CAN'T JUST GIVE UP! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT IT!" I could hear a familiar voice shouting over the roar of the flames, so I allowed my eyes to open. Liz was standing next to me; she had a determined look in her eyes, and she was eyeing the demon angrily.

"You have to send her back to where she came from!" she reminded me urgently.

"I can't! She's too powerful!"

"You have to _try!"_

I nodded in agreement and pulled myself up off the floor. The demon was no longer cowering against the wall- she was standing a few feet in front of the door, smiling so big you'd think she'd just won the lottery or something. _Time's up._

I closed my eyes; I could hear the roaring flames all around me, but I tuned them out, knowing it would take everything I had to send the demon back to hell. Just like before, I let my imagination take over and visualized myself sending the demon back to Hades. I pulled at her reluctant form, feeling the burden of it in my muscles, the weight of it pressing against my body. I felt like one of those huge body-builders you see on TV- the ones that struggle to lift a huge weight over their heads. My hand was almost numb from squeezing my necklace, and I felt a drop of sweat trail down my face; but it wasn't because of the heat…

When I opened my eyes again a few moments later, the demon was gone, along with the fires.

I collapsed into a heap of tired limbs; I could feel the exhaustion pulling at me, but I refused to allow myself the pleasure of sleep after what I had done. _Stupid, stupid, stupid! _I chided. _What made you think she was going to help you?_ I hauled myself up off the floor and into the main bedroom, feeling weak and ashamed of myself. Now that the demon had shown her true colours, there was no other way out, and I was back to square one.

I was trapped here, and the only way I was getting out was in a body bag.

*******

The sound of the door clicking open pulled me out of my thoughts and brought me back to the real world. Had someone heard my screams? Where they coming to drag me away to conduct some horrific experiments?

I put on my game face, but it wasn't needed- it was only Rae.

"Chloe?"

"Rae?"

"Shhhh! Quiet! I'm here to help you!" She kept glancing at the door, as if she was afraid of getting caught.

_Well, of course she's afraid…you saw what they did to Aunt Lauren. They don't take to kindly to traitors 'round these parts, dummy._

"What'd you mean, 'help'?" I asked, unsure of what to expect.

"I'm helping you escape! Now get off your ass and follow me!" I was exhausted, but I did as I was told, getting up off the bed and following her out of my room into a dark hallway.

Rae reached her hands out in front of her face and they ignited, causing me to jump backwards. She tiptoed up to the ostentatious security camera and placed her hands on the lens. Within minutes, the entire camera was a puddle of bubbling mush on the ground. Some small part of me felt bad cringed at the thought of desecrating a camera, but I got over it, remembering this camera had been used to ensure I remained trapped here.

We made our way down the hallway, Rae leading the way incase of any other security cameras. When I asked Rae where everyone else was, she told me that she had already helped them out. She told me about the experiments the Edison Group had been conducting on Simon, Derek, Tori, and even Andrew. She had crept down to the laboratory and released them-after knocking out Rob the security guard of course. She had then proceeded to find my Aunt Lauren. Once she had found everyone, Rae had told them about a small empty house nearby where they could stay until they needed to leave.

"Wow, Rae. I don't know what to say. Thank you so much!" I tried to say it quietly, but my voice betrayed me by jumping a few decibels. Rae turned around, placed a finger in front of her lips, and shushed me again. I mouthed 'sorry' to her before continuing on.

The smell of melting plastic had filled the air, and I was sure someone was going to come check out the source of the smell soon. When I told Rae this, she simply shrugged, reminding me she was more worried about getting us out of here.

"Us…so you're coming too? That great, Rae!" She bit her lip before nodding, making me feel as if she was hiding something. _What could she be planning? _I shook my head, trying to erase the tainted thought- Rae was risking everything to help me, and I shouldn't be so suspicious and paranoid…but if life on the road had taught me anything, it was that it was better to be paranoid than to be too trusting.

The Edison Group's H.Q. was enormous- after navigating through twists and turns and staircase after staircase, we still hadn't found the exit yet.

"Rae, are you sure this is the way out?" I asked tentatively. She turned around and flashed me a look that said: 'I know what I'm doing' and continued walking. We emerged in another long hallway, but this time, we weren't alone.

Rae and I took off running down the hallway. The man chased after us, but he was too slow- after weeks of running for my life, I was faster than any adult could ever hope to be…He trailed behind us and stopped, pulling out his radio. "Emergency, code 244. The Saunders girl and Rae are making a break for it. Block all exits, NOW!"

My heart fell. They were blocking off all of the exits; we were trapped again, but this time, Rae wouldn't be there to help us escape…

I kept running anyway, ignoring my inner voice. _You'll never make it out of here, you know that, don't you?_

_I don't need your opinions, thank you very much._

_Yeesh, no need to get snippy! I was just saying…_

_Shut it, please._

We continued to run, zigzagging our way through more hallways and turns. It was like the labyrinth in all the Greek myths- except we hadn't brought any string, and the Minotaur that awaited us was far more dangerous than a half-man, half-bull. We wound our way through rooms, around furniture and other obstacles. Whenever we heard footsteps, Rae would tense up and let fire appear in her hands, readying herself for an attack. We would duck inside empty rooms to avoid our pursuers, and if they dared follow: well, let's just say Rae took care of it…

After many more tense minutes, Rae remembered the way out- problem was, it was located at the other end of a main lounge, where there would be a large group of Edison Group members waiting.

I was also appalled to know that she planned on taking us through it.

"You can't be serious Rae! We'll never make it out!"

"Yes, we will! Stop worrying, girl! As long as you're with me, you'll be fine." She winked at me, but I didn't feel reassured at all. We were crouching against a convex wall, and I could see the hundreds of people chatting a few feet from us, oblivious to the fact that we were so close. We waited until our path was clear before darting out into the lounge, racing towards the hallway at the other end.

All hell broke loose. People screamed, acknowledging our presence, while others took it upon themselves to follow. "RUN!" I screamed, although it was pretty obvious at that point. I increased my pace, feeling the aches of protest of my already-drained muscles. _Just a few more feet, _I told them. _Just a few more feet, and then we can-_

"CHLOE!" Rae's scream echoed through the hallway. I whipped my head around just in time to see a man grab Rae. She struggled, and I was about to turn back and rescue her before I heard the sounds of footsteps of dozens of people sound throughout the hall.

"JUST GO, CHLOE! SAVE YOURSELF!"

"NO! RAE, I CAN'T-"

"JUST GO!" This time, I didn't hesitate to follow her instructions. I could see the door marked 'exit' a few dozen feet in front of me, and I ran towards it with more vigor than I thought I had.

My heart felt heavy, the guilt weighing me down. _How could I have just left Rae? _

_She sacrificed herself so you could escape. Now honor her and get yourself out of here. You can come back for her._

_Yeah, but what happens if there's noone left to come back for? What if they terminate her because of what she did? _I shook my head, not wanting to allow the thought to thrive. The door was only feet from me now, and I flung myself at it, flying out into the crisp evening air.

I ran for what seemed like hours, finally arriving at the place Rae had told me about. I knocked on the door furiously, hoping Rae hadn't been lying and that I hadn't gotten the wrong house.

My doubts were squashed as soon as the door was flung open and I was assaulted by a hug from my aunt. "Chloe, I'm so glad you're okay!" she gushed, tears in her eyes. She pulled me inside, locking the door behind her. "But…where's Rachelle?" she asked, before understanding dawned on her. "Oh…that poor girl, risking everything for us like that. We will find a way to save her, Chloe, I promise you that." I nodded, drained of all energy and unable to compose a response without being afflicted by guilt. Instead, I studied my Aunt's face- she had a huge gash on her forehead, and it looked deep; she must've already taken care of it though, because the edges appeared to be glued together, and there was no blood around the cut.

"How's everyone else?" I asked, worry saturating my voice.

"Tori and Simon are fine. Andrew was badly injured though, and he needed to be stitched up in a few places, but I took care of that. And I'm alright, as you can see." She smiled sadly.

I was almost afraid to ask the next question. "And Derek? H-how's Derek?" Her face crumpled.

"He's…not well, sweetheart. He hasn't woken up yet. He-" I didn't even bother letting her finish her sentence before bolting towards the stairs. I cleared them two at a time, reaching the top floor in seconds. I made my way down the long hallway, peering into each bedroom. His was the last bedroom I looked into.

I flung myself into his room and sat down on the bed near his chest. He looked so broken; so vulnerable, and I wanted to make it all go away. I placed my hand on his forehead, immediately pulling back when I felt how hot it was; my pendant during the whole demon-fight hadn't even come close.

I must've sat there for hours, placing a cool, wet cloth on his forehead and waiting for him to wake up. Noone bothered asking me what I was doing, and I was glad for the quiet, but Derek still hadn't opened his eyes...

"Derek, please, you have to wake up!" I begged. When he didn't respond, I sank down onto the floor, placed my head in my hands, and cried myself to sleep.

It was all over.

---

**A/N: Awwwe! No cliffies, but still very sad, no?**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! **

**Again, 20 reviews before the next update! **

**AND REMEMBER TO VOTE! REVIEW!!! **


	20. Broken

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! Early update today! (I know, I'm awesome, right?) Anyways, not that much to say today…

**My Questions From The Last Chapter**: Apparently everyone has agreed that they want a lemon (well, except Christina, but she'll have to deal with it) so I guess I'm gunna incorporate one into the story soon. No, not in the next few chapters, and I promise, I won't make it into a porno. About the age thing: I know most of you guys are around my age, and I'm not judging when it comes to lemons, so don't worry about it. ;)

Anyways, thank you to all who reviewed last chapter. (Even if some of you guys reviewed anonymously after reviewing when you where logged in… Ya, I know your secret!) This chapter, you get to see inside Chloe's head a little more… And to all those people who showed me how dumb I was to ask about the lemon while trying to build up the suspense about Derek, thank you. I had a bit of a blond moment I guess? (No offense to blonds!) Anyways, I wasn't gunna kill off Derek! I WOULD NEVER! But just because I don't kill him, doesn't mean I can't do other equally horrible things to him…

Andddd….I'd like to give a shoutout to **Infindel **for reading all the chapters and reviewing all in one day :) She was also the only one (other than Christina, gosh) to understand my planet unicorn joke. (Planet Unicorn, Hayyyy!) High five! :D

Here are your questions:

**Question #1:** What do you guys think about a title change for the story? I'm thinking of changing it, but I'm not sure… I'd love some suggestions and your opinions!

**Question #2**: What were some of your all-time favourite books? I know I was OBSESSED with HP, A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Children of the Lamp, and The Royal Diaries. How about you guys?

One last thing (I promise!). If anyone would like a sneak peak to my next story, just private message me. I would be really grateful if you guys gave me your honest opinions. Sorry about the having to message me for it thing, but after the little imitation incident, I wanna keep it as close as possible in case someone tries to take the idea. (Yeah, I'm paranoid like that, but I trust you guys.)

---

**Disclaimer**: We're all discussing the whole Chloe-Derek-Steph (aka ME) love triangle.

Me: You know, Chloe's a bit too fragile for you Derek. You need someone who's strong and can protect themselves once in a while!  
*Smiles at Chloe*

Derek: Um…

Chloe: You can't just break me and Derek up! I'm his mate- he can't be with anyone else!

Me: Yeah, that's a problem…even worse than my 'I don't own Darkest Powers' thing...

Derek: Umm…

Chloe: So what are you gunna do, hmmm?

**After a few moments…**

Jessica: JUST BUY HIM A DOG!

(That one was for you, Christina!)

---

**Broken**

**Chloe POV**

78 hours, 46 minutes, 13 seconds.

That's how long it's been since we arrived here.

That's how long it's been since Derek last opened his eyes.

It's been 78 hours, 46 minutes, and 31 seconds.

He should've opened his eyes by now.

I haven't left this miserable room since I arrived here, except to use the bathroom. I spent my days on the ground, leaning against the wall, hugging my knees to my chest, facing Derek's bed. He hadn't moved, hadn't stirred for more than three days, and I was beginning to loose hope. I could see it in everyone else: the worry, the strained expressions, and the hopelessness- that bothered me the most. Hope was all we had now.

Simon came to check on Derek a few times. He would walk in quietly and sit down on the ground next to me, staying silent. A few times, I thought I saw tears in his eyes, but he blinked them away before I could be certain. He had given up as well, and so had everyone else…

But not me.

I would never give up; never allow myself to believe that Derek wouldn't pull through and come out of this. He would be fine.

_Then why hasn't he woken up yet? Why hasn't he opened his eyes?_

I didn't even bother answering. Instead, I tuned my inner voice out and began humming. It was a tuneless melody- something that used to drift lazily out of my music box at home- but it was comforting, and during those dark, lonely hours, it reminded me of a happier life: a time when death and danger where virtually nonexistent.

I spent most of my time huddled against the wall, watching Derek for any signs of movement. I would occasionally get up to put the cold washcloth on his forehead, sometimes muttering things like: "Come back to us" and "Wake up!". I hopped he would react to the sound of my voice; but I soon came to realize this wasn't going to be like some sort of romantic movie- where the guy miraculously comes out of a coma when the love of his life whispers 'I love you!'.

This isn't Hollywood; this is the real world, and the real world sucks.

Aunt Lauren had come in a few times over the past few days, begging me to leave the room for a few hours. When I hadn't answered her, she gave up on her attempts, but every mealtime, she would walk in, place a tray of food next to me, and walk out. She understood why I was doing this, and even though she obviously wasn't a fan of Derek, she was supporting me. For that, I was grateful.

Sometimes I would be surprised by a visit from Liz, who was obviously very worried about me. She'd sit with me and talk endlessly about trivial matters, like the newest Jimmy Choo flats and how long my hair was getting. I was glad for her company, because it helped me forget about everything else for a little while. Sometimes, I'd even fall asleep- something I hadn't willingly done since leaving the Edison Group Headquarters.

Every miserable problem seemed to originate from that place: our genetic modifications, Rae being trapped and blowing her cover, and now Derek…If there was ever a time when I craved revenge, it was now…but I had to wait, or I'd be giving up my life in vain- I wouldn't be able to do it alone.

Derek had to wake up.

But maybe…maybe it was time to come to terms with the possibility that he may _never_ wake up? Come to terms with the fact that I may never feel his hands in my hair, get lost in his emerald green eyes, or feel the comfort and safety of being in his arms…

I stifled a sob, choking back the ever-present tears. I tried to fight them off, but they prevailed, blurring my vision and cascading down my cheeks shamelessly. I felt the familiar onslaught of emptiness in my heart, remembering how I had felt when I was told my mother was gone forever. It seemed as if every time someone got close, their life ended in some horrible accident. Was it the necromancer's curse; having everyone you care about die? Was it our punishment for going against the laws of nature? I contemplated that for a few hours, glad for the distraction.

I couldn't say my beliefs were iron-clad- over the past few weeks, I hadn't thought much about whether I still believed in a God. If He was out there, then why did He allow all this to happen? How could He allow millions of people to die everyday; where were His supposed miracles? His promise to protect the innocent and the helpless? Better yet, why give only a select few humans powers over the rest of humanity? Why were we the ones to receive these 'gifts'?

I laid my head back in my hands, not realizing I was still crying until I felt the saltwater on my palms. In just a few short weeks, everything I had ever believed in, everything I thought I knew…it was all proven wrong. Love didn't conquer all; it could only get you so far before the rest of the world came charging in and destroyed any chance of happiness you once had. You could only hold on for so long before your arms got tired, and you could only take the abuse of the real world for so long…

Eventually, you had to come to terms with reality.

_It's time to let go, _my inner voice whispered softly. _It's time to stop crying. Time to stop waiting for that miracle that'll never come. You have a mission to complete, with or without Derek. He would want you to keep going._

_It's time to let go._

I pushed myself up off the floor-a more difficult task than you would think, considering I hadn't used my muscles in days- and walked over to the head of the bed. I studied his face, amazed by the transformation: the usual worry lines in his forehead were smoothed out, and he looked almost…_peaceful. _There was a piece of hair on his forehead and I pushed it back gently, letting my hand linger on his forehead to check for the omnipresent fever. Surprisingly, his forehead was cool to the touch. I leaned down and brushed my lips against it lightly, just to be sure.

I straightened up and wiped the tears away, knowing I needed to put up a good front if I was going to face everyone; red, puffy eyes wouldn't be a helpful tool when trying to convince everyone I was ready to go.

I turned away from the bed and walked out the door, the guilt weighing me down like a ton of bricks.

*******

I made my way down the stairs and walked into the unfamiliar kitchen. I sat down in one of the old wooden chairs, smiling at everyone when they surveyed me with anxious expressions.

"I'm fine guys, really," I assured them, answering their unasked questions. They all nodded and returned to their food, the tension evident in the air now.

Simon got up and moved his chair next to mine on the other side of Tori. He put his arm around my shoulder, telling me he understood. I had been worried about his reaction, wondering if he would be angry with me for giving up like that. Knowing he wasn't eased some of the guilt I felt, and I smiled at him sadly. _Thank you, _I communicated with my eyes, afraid to open my mouth- I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my composure if I did. He smiled back and nodded, removing his arm.

We ate in silence for a while. I knew the tension was caused by my presence, but I was anxious for a distraction.

Thank the heavens for Tori.

"Can we all stop playing the quiet game now? It's really starting to piss me off!" She looked around at each of us before continuing. "I get it, ok? I'm not stupid! Derek might never wake up, Rae's in danger, we have no idea what we're going to do; but that doesn't mean we all have to crawl into a hole and die!" She ended her rant with a huff, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. Aunt Lauren was the first to respond.

"Tori…it's been hard for all of us. We need time-"

"We don't have time!" Tori interrupted. "Incase noone's noticed yet, Rae might be scheduled to meet her maker soon, if you know what I mean. We can't just sit around and let her die for helping us!" I was surprised at Tori's drive; Tori and Rae were polar opposites, and they had never gotten along. I had no idea Tori cared so much.

This time it was Simon who answered. "That's not fair, Tori. You know we're trying as hard as we can."

"Well, we need to try harder, Simon."

"How are we supposed to do that? We have no idea where anyone is, Andrew's still recovering, Derek is…We're not prepared!"

"Well then we need to get off our asses and GET prepared!"

"Incase you haven't noticed, that's kinda hard when we're hiding from the Edison Group!"

"Why do we have to keep hiding? I'm sick of hiding like a scared little kid! It's time to fight!"

"WE CAN'T YET!"

"WHY THE FUCK NOT?"

I heard a yawn. _Oh yeah, Aunt Lauren has never had the chance to experience a Tori & Simon argument before. I should've warned her…_

"I thought you two got over this," someone grumbled from the door. We all whipped our heads around at the exact same time.

There, standing in the doorway, looking cranky and annoyed, was Derek.

I probably would've fainted had it not been for my conscience telling me to get up. I grabbed onto my chair to steady myself, gripping the wood so hard it probably would've fallen apart if I held on any longer. I looked up at Derek, his quizzical expression evident as he surveyed his surroundings. "So…does anyone wanna tell me how we got outta that place, or are you going to stare at me all day?" He sat down and crossed his arms, his gaze focused on Andrew.

Andrew looked uncomfortable. He swallowed noisily, looking to my Aunt Lauren for help, but when she didn't offer any, he turned back to Derek.

As Andrew explained the events of the past few days, I let my head slink down and rest on my arms, finally feeling the toll three days without sleep had taken. My eye began to feel heavy and I welcomed the darkness behind my eyelids, allowing myself to drift off.

*******

When I woke up, I was in my room- or at least, I _think _it was my room…I hadn't been in any other rooms but Derek's since we arrived here. I rubbed my eyes, yawned and stretched out my muscles, oblivious to the person sitting against the wall until I rubbed my eyes the second time. My heart skipped a beat and I blushed furiously. "I-I di-didn't s-see you t-there," I managed to stutter.

"Yeah, it took you almost 10 minutes to notice. Are you sure you don't need glasses?" He smirked, and I couldn't help but smile. His expression darkened slightly when he noticed me smiling back at him.

"So…how long have you been watching me sleep? It's kind of perverted, you know…" I raised an eyebrow at him jokingly, although I really hoped he had just arrived, considering most people fart while they sleep…

"About an hour; I figured you wouldn't mind.. By the way, I can't believe you spent three days up against the wall."

"It was worth it," I told him honestly.

He shook his head. "No, it wasn't."

I sighed, tired of arguing. "So, why exactly have you been watching me sleep?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up," he said, getting up and walking towards me.

I raised my arms out in front of me, signaling for a hug. "Well, I'm awake now." He made his way over and wrapped his arms around me briefly before tensing up and repositioning himself farther away from me on the bed. My eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

"I need to talk to you," he said simply. I waited for him to say something, but he remained silent.

"Ok…you wanted to talk, so talk." He smiled tightly and averted his gaze. "Derek?"

"I'm leaving," he said bluntly.

_What?! _It seemed like my inner voice was taking my side this time.

"What?!"

"I'm leaving," he repeated.

_He can't just _leave! _Is he stupid or something?!_

"You can't just _leave! _Are you stupid or something?!"

"I have to go," he said.

_What gave him that idea?_

"What gave you that idea?!" I demanded.

"No one. I just know it's not right for me to be here. I'm…dangerous." My heart sank. Was this what the Edison Group had told him?

"It's because of the Edison Group, isn't it? They fed you some bullshit about how you're a monster and a menace. Liz told me all about it, so don't even try to deny it!" I sounded angry, my tone firm and calm.

"No, this isn't about them, Chloe. I already knew what I wa- am." He corrected himself at the last minute, a sure sign that he doubted it as well.

"You and I both know that you'd never intentionally hurt someone, Derek, so why are you acting like this?"

"I'm leaving. There's nothing for me here- I'm better off joining the Pack."

That one stung. Nothing for him here? What was I, chopped liver? And the Pack?! The very people whose name sent chills down my spine? Was he serious?

"You can't be serious."

"I am. I'm tired of running from the Edison Group; it's not my fight. They wanted to throw me to the Pack, so I'm better off just going willingly. Then they have nothing on me."

"Nothing..? What about finding your dad? What about helping us avenge the deaths of all those innocent supernaturals?!"

"Not my problem," he grumbled.

"NOT YOUR PROBLEM? YOU WERE THE ONE WHO GOT US INTO THIS!"

"No, I didn't. I just told you what you were. You didn't have to listen to me- that was your choice."

I could feel my anger rising. After everything I had done for him, he was leaving?!

"Fine. I'm coming with you," I declared.

"No, you're not."

I glared up at him. "You and I both know you won't be able to live without me," I accused, my tone vicious.

He smiled like he was enjoying a good joke. "I can assure you, I'll be fine."

_Wait, does that mean…?_

"What about me?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. He bit his lip nervously before meeting my gaze.

"We can't do this anymore, Chloe. I'm too dangerous, and… it's not right. It's unethical! Werewolves are only supposed to mate with werewolves, end of story. No exceptions. It was wrong of me to lead you on and lie like that. I really hope you can forgive me."

I felt like the world was crashing down around me. He had been lying this whole time? Did I really mean that little to him?

He continued his rant, unaware of what was going on inside my head. "And that night we got caught? Well, needless to say, I'm glad we were…interrupted. The consequences would have been horrific!" He chuckled to himself, his eyes focusing on everything in the room but me.

He can't possibly be serious about this…

I was furious now. "Cut the bullshit, Derek. Tell me what's really going on. You and I both know you always resort to big words when you're lying." _Yeah, jackass._

"I'm not lying, Chloe. I really am leaving; I just wanted to apologize to you before I did."

"Please stop talking if you're going to keep spewing lies," I snapped. He looked angry, but I wasn't backing down anytime soon. For God's sakes, I cried myself to sleep over him! I never left his bedside! I didn't sleep for days because of him, and this was how he was going to repay me?!

I got up from my bed and marched over to the door, resting my hand on the knob. I'd had enough of this. "Please leave. You can come back once you decide to stop bs-ing."

He got up off the bed and sauntered out, flashing me a small smile before I shut the door. I turned the key in the lock, just in case.

_What the hell was that?!_

_He wasn't being serious, _I told myself, easing some of the anxiety. I made my way over to the bed, collapsing on it in a crumpled heap. Seconds later I was asleep, my conversation with Derek all but forgotten.

My dreams were just normal dreams- no ghosts, zombies, or raising of spirits- just swirls of lights and colours and voices. It was a peaceful dream, and for that reason alone, it had to end.

I woke up to the sound of Tori knocking on my bedroom door. "CHLOE! UNLOCK THE DOOR AND LET ME IN!" she demanded. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and got up groggily, my hair a tangled mess.

"Ugh…I'M COMING TORI!" She stopped her knocking, and I could hear her foot tapping impatiently on the hardwood floor. I stumbled out of bed, almost tripping on my way to the door.

I turned the key, unlocking the door. _Weird, _I thought. _When did I lock this again?_ It took a few moments, but my earlier conversation with Derek finally made itself known to the rest of my mind. At the same time, Tori flung the door open.

She looked anxious and flustered, and she was holding half a piece of paper in her hand. "Tori, wha-what's wr-wrong?"

I feared I already knew the answer…

"Derek's gone," she whispered. "He left this."

She handed me the paper, and I read:

_Leaving to go find the Pack. Take care of Simon. Don't follow me._

_-Derek_

This time, the world really was crashing down all around me. Had I really just lost him for the second time in three days?

I ran to his room, stopping short at the door. The bed was made and everything was spotless. The room felt empty and cold to me, but I walked in anyway, the note on the night stand catching my attention. I picked it up and read:

_Take care of yourself. Don't try to find me._

He was gone…

It was all my fault.

---

**Author's Note: Alas, young love rarely lasts! Anywhooo, hope you enjoyed this chapter…it was kinda sad, and it took forever to write!**

**Thank you to everyone who continues to review! 20 reviews and you'll get another chapter! ;)**


	21. Talking

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! I know this update is a tad bit (as in, extremely) late, but you'll have to forgive me (pretty please?), because I have a bunch of things going on and it's getting really hard to juggle it all!

Anyways, a big thank you goes out to Fanpire4000, ., and burning.. for telling me what they think about my new story idea. You all deserve a big hug! *Reaches arms towards computer screen*

Also, thank you to everyone who continues to review. You guys deserve a hug too! :)

And speaking of last chapter…

I really didn't wanna do it guys, but I had to! We all knew Derek would leave one day, didn't we? I couldn't just keep him there! (Although technically, he's locked in my basement right now…) On another note, I'm sorry to anyone who thought this chapter was a bit fast (although 13 pages isn't exactly short). I wanted to make it seem even more painful and show everyone what would be going through Chloe's mind when she gets Derek back, only to loose him again hours later…I hope it was effective, but if not…*hold up arms and hangs head*. One more thing: don't count on Derek coming back anytime soon. :)

And if anyone would like a sneak peek at my next story, private message me and I'll get it to you asap!

**Questions:**

**Question #1:** What's up with noone updating their stories lately? Everyday I stare at my favourite list sadly, hoping someone will update…:'(

**Question #2** (although #1 was more of a hypothetical question): If you were in the story, what type of supernatural would you wanna be? I think I'd wanna be a witch.:)

**Question #3**: Who thinks 15 is a little young to be having 'lemons'? I'm not saying I'm gunna change the story, but in real life, it's a bit early, right?

---

**Christina, this is for you!**

**Disclaimer:** Derek is chained to the wall and I'm having some fun with him ;)

Derek: You're a crazy bitch, you know that?

Me:*Sexy Voice*  
Oh baby, you know I love it when you talk dirty like that!

Derek: Oh yeah? Well once I get out of here, I'm gunna rip your face off and feed it to that creepy possessed cheerleader!

Me: OH BABY! MORE! MORE!

Derek: You don't own Darkest Powers!

Me: OH BA- Ugh! Way to kill the mood, jackass!  
*Storms off*

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**Talking**

**Chloe POV**

_Take care of yourself. Don't try to find me._

The words were constantly replaying, on loop inside my mind.

_Take care of yourself. Don't try to find me.  
__Take care of yourself. Don't try to find me.  
__Take care of yourself. Don't try to find me._

I catapulted out of bed, abandoning my endeavor. _Who needs sleep anyways? Definitely not me…_

I walked over to the mirror and sat down on the stool, picking up the hairbrush that lay in front of me. I yanked it through my hair, once again regretting the day I decided it was time to chop it all off…_Why did I do that again? Oh yeah…I thought it would look cool, maybe help me fit in like a normal kid._

My conscious was eager to respond._ Like you could _ever _be 'normal'! Look at you, girl; you're a ticking time bomb, a walking science experiment gone wrong! You carry on conversations with dead people in public, and to top it all off, you just got dumped by your boyfriend, who also happens to be a werewolf! 'Normal' shouldn't even exist in your vocabulary!_

_Oh, just shut up, will you? _After three days of receiving ignorant jabs from my subconscious, I was done caring about anything _it _had to say. It could keep its opinions to itself, thank you very much.

For the past few days, I had been putting up a front, pretending I was fine and everything was okay. I would do everything possible to keep my thoughts from concentrating on Derek. If I was forced to rethink a memory, I would block him out, and if I had to say something, I would say 'him' instead of his name. The trick was to keep myself busy, because if I thought about him, I would miss him, and the torn pieces of my heart could never begin to mend themselves…

But like I told… Derek that night in the forest, I could keep myself in check while I was awake, but I couldn't control my dreams…

The only difference was, this time, the zombies weren't the stars of the show.

_Look on the bright side, will ya? If you ever manage to take down the Edison Group, you could become a director who specializes in horror films! You've already lived through dozens of em, and you have real life experience when it comes to zombies and werewolves! _

I couldn't tell if my conscious was giving me a pep talk or mocking me, so I just reminded it of my earlier instructions.

_I thought I told to you shut up? You know I don't need this right now, so why are you-_

"Chloe? Can I talk to you for a few?" Simon's voice echoed through the hallway outside my bedroom door, the unease and anxiety saturating his every syllable. I put down the brush, not wanting to look like too much of a 'girl'. _Who brushes their hair when they're not even leaving the house?_

"Uh…sure, Simon. Come in." I fought to keep my tone light, my thoughts from before still clouding my mind.

He walked in and locked the door behind him so as not to be disturbed. I raised an eyebrow at him curiously, but he didn't seem to notice. Simon plopped himself down on the far edge of my bed and turned to face me.

"So, uh…what did you wanna talk about?" I asked. _What's with his family and awkward one-on-one talks?_ My inner voice added sarcastically. I guess it _was_ a bit ironic, considering the last person to occupy that very same spot…

"You know Chloe, it's a good thing you want to make movies instead of star in them," he said randomly.

"Um…what?"

"You suck at acting!"

"Um…ok, thanks…?" I said, wondering what the point of the conversation was.

He sighed loudly. "Your little act, Chloe. Everyone can see right through it. We all know how much it's killing you that he left. I get it, you know? He left me too, and it kinda hurts that he didn't he didn't even bother to tell me…" He stopped talking, lowered his gaze to the duvet on my bed, and began tracing the little flower patterns while I struggled to compose a reply.

"I'm fine Simon. Really. I'm totally over it…"

He pulled his head up, and noticing the angry expression on his face, I prepared for an outburst. "You know Chloe, it'd be nice if someone would just stop trying to hide what they're feeling for once. I can see it in your eyes, for God's sakes! You look lifeless, like a …zombie or something!" He paused to let it sink in before continuing. "I know it's killing you that he left! I'm pretty fucking pissed off myself, but I'm not gunna try and hide it so everyone else feels better! You have to let it out, you know?"

"Simon, I d-don't-"

His face fell measurably. "Sorry, I don't mean to sound rude. I just don't want you beating yourself up over Derek... He had… no right to do that to you, and I'm pretty fucking disgusted with him for it, and I'm really sorry about it all." He looked me straight in the eyes, and I could see the sincerity written all over his face. He pulled me into a tight hug and I rested my head on his shoulder, grateful for the affectionate gesture.

I realized I hadn't let go after a few minutes, but Simon was still holding me, his arms wound around me firmly. "I'm so sorry, Chloe," he whispered sadly against my hair. Any amount of self-control I previously possessed vanished after that. The tears began flowing, and I was glad he was there with me- glad that we could share in each other's pain and get through it together.

"It hurts so much, Simon! I feel like he broke me into thousands of little pieces," I choked out between sobs. The tears were streaming down my face and soaking through his shirt but he didn't seem to mind.

"Shhh, I know, I know" he said comfortingly. "But you can't let the pain take over. You have to be strong." I nodded against his shoulder.

"I'm always here, Chloe. I will never, ever hurt you," he promised.

_Great, now he tells me! A few weeks ago would have been nice, you know? Maybe then I wouldn't have…_

Simon released me from the hug, stopping to plant a kiss on my cheek. The blush began rising in my cheeks but I shifted my focus to the comforter so he wouldn't notice.

"What are you gunna do about your Dad?" I asked quietly, hoping to get rid of the awkward atmosphere in the room.

"I'm gunna have to find him myself, I guess. It would've been a lot easier if…well, there's no use in whining now. It's not gunna change things." He sighed, and the sound of it made my heart hurt. He sounded almost as broken as I felt.

"I'm gunna go find Tori now," he said. "My darling sister has been nagging to Andrew about how she wants to learn more advanced spells, and she's driving him up the wall!"

He ran his hands through his hair lazily and got up. "I'll talk to you later, Chloe!" he said on his way out the door. When he was gone, I plopped down face-first on the comforter. _What the heck was that?! _I asked myself.

_It seems as if you chose the wrong brother…_, my inner voice chided.

"Would you just shut up, please?" I yelled, not realizing I had said the words out loud.

_Oops…_

I heard a laugh from the hallway and Tori strode in, looking smug and surprisingly happy. "Talking to yourself again, Saunders? I told you, that's what happens when you use ammonia-based hair-dye. It does shit to your head!"

She glanced at my annoyed expression and laughed again, the sound filling the entire room eerily. I had gotten used to the quiet of my room the last couple of days…

"Yeah, Tori, thanks so much for the advice. It's too bad you didn't follow it yourself…" I smiled sweetly at her and her returning smile was icy.

"So, Chloe. Let's talk, shall we?"

"Umm, I'd really rather not, if you don't mind, Tori."

"No, I insist! Let's talk."

"What's up everyone wanting to 'talk'?" I asked, suddenly angry.

"Hmmm, maybe it's because they, I don't know, CARE ABOUT YOU?" she spat.

"What?" I asked, a bit confused by her suddenly angry outburst.

I could see her trying to calm herself down- she knew the consequences of loosing control- before she spoke. "Chloe, everyone here cares about you. We all want to help you, but it's kinda hard when you won't let us. You can't lock yourself away and lament, but at the same time, you can't just pretend that nothing happened!" My eyebrows knitted together. Hadn't I just received this same speech, compliments of Simon?

"Tori, I-"

"Don't disagree! Do you really think you're the first person to ever get dumped? The first person to ever have their heart ripped outta their chest and stomped on in front of them?" _Nice imagery there, Tori, _my inner voice praised.

"No! I just-"

"Because you're not! Other people have lived through this too, Chloe, and most of them are better off because of it." She looked almost sympathetic now, and I was having trouble stifling my laughter. She continued her babbling, oblivious to my inner struggle.

"Chloe, you shouldn't let this bring you down! You could do so much better than _Derek Souza." _She sneered his name, as if it burned her tongue on the way out. I didn't answer, just stayed silent and waited for her to move on to another less painful and touchy subject, but she didn't. "It's true Chloe. Look at you! You're incredibly skinny, with blond hair and blue eyes, not to mention your loaded up the ass. You can do so much better than that… _ogre._ Like my brother, for instance?" I bit my lip, not wanting to argue with her.

I _did _deserve better… but I really didn't want anyone else.

"So now that we've reached an understanding…"

"What understanding?! I sat here for ten minutes while you yelled!"

She smiled again, but this time it was genuine. "That doesn't matter. We have more important things to discuss."

"Oh, like what?" I asked sarcastically. I knew she was going to try to rope me into her little _'THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW!_' club, and I really wasn't interested in the membership opportunities.

"We need to talk about our plan, and- Don't look at me like that, Chloe! You know we can't just keep sitting here and hoping for a miracle! We have to do this!" The determination in her eyes was almost frightening, but I ignored that.

She was right. It was time to act; no more sitting around and moping. The time for action was _soon, _and we needed to prepare…

"What do you want me to do?" I asked eagerly.

"Well, first I need you to summon Liz."

---

**A/N: I'm excited for the next chapter! :) Anyways, what's been going on lately? Noone has updated in FOREVER! (Except Kelley) Anyways…I'm off to go hug my straightener (no, it's not on, although I so would do that) and start planning out my next story. **

**Again guys, I'm really sorry about the lateness- it's due to a mixture of life and a dash of writer's block, but I'm back now! And because I' so sorry, I'm only gunna ask for 15 reviews this week! :D:D:D**


	22. Secrets

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! It's been a while, eh? (So Canadian! anyways…)

First off, I'd like to apologize to you guys for the sporadic updates. I'm trying as hard as I can to get you daily updates, but I'd rather take my time and write a good chapter than rush and write a 'meh' chapter. I hope you can forgive me!

Second, I'd like to apologize to Sweet (dot) Little (dot) Bumble (dot) Bee for not mentioning you last chapter in the shoutout. I actually did write your name in, but fanfic cut it off and now all you can see is a dot and a comma… I have no idea why, but here's a personalized shoutout to make up for it: YOU ROCK! :)

And third…because everyone is having an anxiety attack, I'd like to clear this up. THIS HAS NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE A CHLOE X SIMON STORY! So everyone can let out that breath they've been holding in ;)

Lastly, I'm going to say this before you read so you're not confused: Chloe is very OOC in this chapter. Why? Because she just got dumped, _hard. _That would put anyone in a bad mood, don't you think? So please don't bombard me with messages about how she's OOC and I ruined everything… :(

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**Questions**:

**Question #1:** How many times have you re-read the summoning and the awakening? I'm at 12 each so far ;)

**Question #2**: Who's a good artist? (I can see you out there!) I was wondering if anyone wanted to design a banner for the story - I was thinking about posting this on livejournal as well, and I wanted something to put with it... Anyways, if you guys want, I was thinking about turning it into a competition, and the winner gets advanced copies of the next 5 chapters before I post em? If you guys like the idea, message me or include your opinion in your review, as always.

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**Once again, Christina, this is for you!**

**Disclaimer:** We've decided to get some relationship counseling.

Psychologist: So, Derek… can you tell me why you are so terrified of Stephanie?

Me: He doesn't love me, Doc! It's that _girl! _She ruined everything!

Derek: Oh my…SHE'S CRAZY; FOR GOD'S SAKES, LOOK! SHE HAS ME CHAINED TO THIS CHAIR! AND, SHE LOCKED ME IN HER BASEMENT AND SHE CHAINED ME TO THE WALL AND SHE KEEPS MAKING SUGGESTIVE SEXUAL COMMENTS AND- OH GOD, HELP ME! SHE DOESN'T EVEN OWN DARKEST POWERS!

Me: *Reaches into purse, grabs sedative, injects it into Derek, he falls asleep.*  
Sorry Doc! I can see this is going to take more time than I thought!  
*Smiles sweetly*

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**Secrets**

**Chloe POV**

Andrew, Simon, and Aunt Lauren were going on a raid to restock our supplies.

"Why do you keep calling it a 'raid'?" Tori asked. "You're going to the grocery store and the 7/11 down the street!"

"Because it _sounds_ cooler than: 'we're going to the grocery store and the 7/11 down the street!'" Simon explained. They argued back and forth, neither of them making much sense. _Ugh, who cares anyway?! They're acting like morons; giving me a headache…_

Eventually the arguing stopped and everyone left. Liz tagged along as well, keeping a look-out for any signs of danger.

Tori and I were left alone in the house.

I tried not to think about the last time we had been left home alone together- it hadn't ended well for me…

Instead, I focused on how far our plan had come since the day Tori had asked me to summon Liz, a little over a week ago…

_"What do you want me to do?" I asked eagerly._

_"Well, first I need you to summon Liz."_

_"Ok, but what can she do?" I asked._

_"She's going to spy on the Edison Group for us. It's all part of my plan..."_

Tori's plan was simple-or at least what I had heard of it. We would get Liz to watch the Edison Group for us, learning her way around the Headquarters and learning about each of the members. At the end of every day, she was to report back to us, telling me the events of the day and what she had learned so I could relay it to Andrew, Simon, Tori, and my Aunt.

Based on the information provided by Liz, we would be building maps and profiles of the group's HQ and its members. These would be useful when we were finally able to infiltrate the building- we would know our way around, and we would know the strengths and weaknesses of everyone inside, making it easier for us to obliterate any 'obstacles' we were faced with…

I no longer cared about the lives that would be lost. All I wanted was revenge, vengeance for everything I had suffered at the hands of these people and their 'group'. I had come to accept the fact that there _would _be death toll involved, and I would prefer it be them instead of us.

_They deserve it, for all they've done!, _my inner voice encouraged.

I agreed full-heartedly.

*******

I pulled on my hoodie, preparing for my daily excursion.

"Where are you going?" Tori asked suspiciously. _She probably doesn't want to be home alone. How childish!_

"Out…don't worry, I'll be back in time for Liz's meeting. I'm just going for a walk," I lied smoothly, praying she wouldn't ask to tag along.

"Alright, but you better be here when Liz shows up."

"Don't worry about it, I will be. I _am _the responsible one, after all." I smiled at her sweetly and began descending the stairs. I heard her mumbling something that sounded alot like 'bitch!' under her breath, but I ignored it. _If she wants to act immature, I'm not going to be the one to stop her…_

I trudged out the door, leaving Tori and her attitude problem alone together.

I began walking, pulling up my hood to hide my face. I had my trusty switchblade in my pocket incase of emergency, and the self-defense moves Simon had taught me clear in my mind.

Never again would I be the damsel in distress.

_That's probably for the better, considering Derek's not around to come to your rescue anymore…_I ignored the jab, concentrating on dulling the hollowness I was feeling.

Over the past few days, I found that the only way to distract myself from the pain was to let the anger take over. I decided that between pain and anger, I'd rather take the anger, so I sat back and let it take control.

I could feel myself changing, the anger evolving me, turning me into a bitter shell of the person I used to be…but I didn't care. I would take the anger and what it did to me as long as it kept the pain at bay.

After a few moments of walking, I reached my destination.

I wove through the headstones, searching for my secluded 'spot'. I found it eventually, nestled between 2 long abandoned crypts. It was the perfect place for a necromancer.

I had been doing this every day since my little talk with Tori- I had decided it was time to stop being squeamish and just embrace what I was.

After all, I would need to hone my powers for them to be of any use to me...

I sat down on the cold pavement between the two tombs, crossing my legs and attempting to concentrate my thoughts on the task ahead. It was easier at night- it was always quiet and I was never disturbed.

I did exactly what I had done the past few nights: let the power run through me, picturing myself tugging on a spirit, pulling it out of limbo. I did this a few dozen times until I felt myself getting tired, then I opened my eyes.

There were about sixty ghosts standing in front of me, looking angry and confused. One of them – a portly lady in her forties – floated forward to confront me.

"Who do you think you are, you little brat? Disturbing our afterlives so you can get your kicks?" She looked livid, but I didn't shrink back like I would've done before- I stood my ground and smiled.

"Nope! I was just practicing!" I said sweetly.

"Well you can stop 'practicing' and send us back, you little wench!" She was spluttering, and I was sure that if she had been alive, I would be covered in her saliva.

"Sure, why not? I do need the practice, after all!" I closed my eyes and concentrated.

But I wasn't sending them back.

I ramped up my power level and released it, raising my arms up at my sides. I could feel the strain of what I was asking of myself, but it was nothing new…I had been doing this for more than a week, after all. Finally, the weight disappeared, and I could hear noises and movement in the previously still graveyard.

I opened my eyes and looked around. Bodies were crawling to the surface, digging their ways out of their graves, pulling themselves out of the ground.

I smiled mischievously. There were more this time, almost double the amount that I had managed to raise yesterday. _Perfect. You're definitely getting better at this…_

I heard a scream behind me and panicked. _I thought this place was empty! Who comes to a graveyard at night?!_

_Ugh, little blond girls with a taste for gore?_

_Shut up._

I whipped my head around, searching for the source of the noise. My gaze came to rest on Tori, who was about thirty feet behind me, crouched behind a tree.

"CHLOE! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!" She was screaming so loud her voice cracked twice.

"Well Tori, this is me practicing. You told me I needed to learn to control my powers, so here I am." I delivered my speech as calmly as I could, although I was outraged that she had followed me.

"I never told you to go raise a whole graveyard-full of zombies!"

I was angry now, and I strode over to where she was hiding like a scared little kid.

"Yes, you did, Tori. You told me to learn to control my powers, which means I have to learn how to use them!"

She opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again, thinking. I could almost see the gears turning in her brain. Finally, she spoke.

"DID YOU REALLY THINK I MEANT YOU NEEDED TO GO TORTURE A BUNCH OF GHOSTS?! WHAT THE HELL, CHLOE? ARE YOU S_URE_ YOU'RE _NOT _SHCIZO_?"_

I heard the sound of my palm colliding with her cheek before I could even think about what I was doing.

I looked up and saw a blood red imprint of my hand on her cheek, each of my fingers clearly defined. Tori's head was still turned, the shock having not worn off yet. I saw my opportunity and turned around, heading towards my spot between the tombs- I was sure she wouldn't dare follow me there.

I was mistaken.

She tackled me from behind, pinning me to the ground. I could feel the electricity radiating off of her, shocking me where her hands and knees rested on my back.

"You little bitch. Who do you think you are?! Did you really think you could slap me and walk away?" I tried pushing off the ground, but I wasn't getting anywhere, and I could hear the electricity crackling through the air.

"Careful Tori. You remember what happened the last time you lost control, don't you?"

She let out a shriek, deafening me. The shocks coming from her hands were becoming more and more painful, and the graveyard was slowly being illuminated by the glowing light surrounding her body.

If I pushed any harder, she'd kill me.

---

**Tori POV**

That little bitch was trying to mock me! She was exactly like my sister, who did everything in her power to remind me of how badly I had screwed up my life! Well, I'd show _her_…

Something hit me from the side, sending me flying onto the grass and into a gravestone. My head and shoulder hit it simultaneously, and stars erupted in front od my eyes while I tried to massage my shoulder. _What the hell was that?!_

Once the stars faded, I looked around, trying to see what had hit me. I spotted my darling brother, standing twenty feet away with his arms held out in front of him. _Simon. Well that's just great…_

"What the hell was that, Tori?" He demanded, helping Chloe to her feet. I wasn't sure if he could see the zombies or if he was ignoring them, but he didn't _sound _scared…

"What was…I'll tell you what _that _was, Simon! Little miss innocent over there was raising zombies for fun!" I pointed at Chloe, hoping he would take my side just this once.

"Chloe, is that…true?" he asked anxiously.

She put on her most wide-eyed innocent expression before answering. _That bitch. I have to give her props though, she's good at this whole manipulation thing…_

"No way, Simon! I would never do something like that! I can't believe you would even ask! I thought you knew me better than that!" She rubbed her eyes, just to make it look like she was crying. _Playing the guilt card too? Man, she's good._

Simon almost tripped over himself apologizing. "No way! I just…well, Tori said-"

"Tori's just having an off day, I guess. We were having an argument before, and she…well, you saw it." She smiled at him, and I knew then that he was already too far gone.

"Oh, I'll show you an off day, princess. You're completely and utterly insane- you're so far out of your mind that you need to take a plane and a boat just to get back!" I smiled, and she flipped me off.

That was it. I lunged at her, but Simon caught me and held me back before I could get anywhere near her. I would have to resort to hurting her with my words.

"You need to get over yourself, quick, before someone gets sick of you and rips your pretty little head off!" I sneered at her and decided to keep going. "Then again, maybe _that's _why lover-boy left. Even _he _couldn't stand you!" I laughed merrily, watching her facial features become distorted with rage.

She took a few steps towards me, stopping a few inches in front of me. "Would you like to talk to someone about your problems, Tori? A rotting corpse, perhaps?" She smiled at me before turning around. "Attack!" she commanded, and the bodies, previously hidden by the darkness of the night, began to make their presence known. They surrounded us, forming a perfect circle around Simon and I.

"Cummon, Simon. You don't need to watch this," she said. _Was she seriously trying to turn my own brother against me? That little BITCH!_

"That's enough, Chloe. Call them off." He was looking straight at her, the anger evident in his expression. I was glad _someone _was finally siding with me…

I returned my attention to Chloe, watching as she stared down Simon. After about thirty seconds, I decided it was time to leave. "Let's go, Simon," I said, tugging on his arm. He complied wordlessly, shaking his head at Chloe before turning away.

We began making our way towards the house. Simon was silent and it was getting pretty awkward.

"So, how'd you find us?" I asked, curious.

"Oh, you were kinda glowing, and Andrew sent me ahead while him and Ms. Fellows finished up…." We were silent for a few more minutes, then…

"What the heck was that, Tori? What just happened out there?"

"That, my dear brother, was the new and improved Chloe Saunders."

He was stunned into silence for a few minutes, then regained control of his voice.

"You do realize you've created a monster, right?" I glared at him. "I'm just saying, Tori!"

I allowed my voice to take on the same faux-innocent tone Chloe had used on him.

"Why, whatever could you mean, Simon? Maybe she's just having an 'off' day?"

He glared at me for a few seconds before his expression became one of remorse and sadness.

"Tor, maybe we should…tell her?"

"Tell her that she's acting like a psychotic bitch? I plan to!" I admitted without hesitation.

"Yeah…No, Tori, you know what I mean. Maybe if we tell her, she'll-"

"Tell her what, Simon?" I asked. "That Derek left to find your Dad, and he didn't want her to tag along? That he lied to her so she wouldn't want to go with him? Or better yet, how about we tell her that he probably won't make it back alive? No, Simon, I don't think we should tell her."

We walked the rest of the way back in complete silence, both of us feeling weighed down by the combined strain of the secret we were keeping and the heaviness in our hearts.

Although I didn't want to admit it to Simon, I knew telling Chloe would be the right thing to do. We had created a monster, keeping the truth from her...

The problem was, the _right _thing to do is not always necessarily the _best _thing to do.

I had learned that the hard way.

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**Author's Note: Well, that's it! Next chapter will be up soon, I promise! **

**Twenty (20) reviews for this chapter, please! REVIEW!!! :)**

**Anyways, I forgot to mention this earlier, but if you guys want me to send you the link for the first 3 chapters of the Reckoning, just tell me! (It's so friggin amazing! I was literally dancing). **


	23. Scars

**Author's Note: Hello lovelies! I have no questions for you today, but that's ok, right?**

**Early update! Aren't you excited? No? Well, I never loved you anyway, so it really doesn't matter! ;) **

**Let's go back to the last chapter, shall we? I kinda like psycho-Chloe, to tell you the truth. It's quite fun to write from a crazy person's POV :D I hope you guys can understand why I wrote her that way; it was important for the story, and I was trying to keep that realness in there to make it easier to identify with the characters. I didn't screw it up too badly, did I? Yeah? Well… Christina actually suggested I have her commit suicide, but I couldn't do that to you guys, so BE HAPPY!**

**Today is the long awaited Derek POV! **

**ANYWAYS! For the past few days I've been reading this AMAZING book. It's called _Shiver, _it's by Maggie Stiefvater, ****and it's a really beautiful and sad. You guys should definitely google that shit, because I'm gunna ruin it if I try to give a summary…seriously, go google it! You'll love it!**

**That's all for today. Now you get to enjoy a series of disclaimers, written by none other than Christina herself. You go, girl! We love you!**

**--- **

**Disclaimer: Soon after Stephanie and Derek's session, Christina and Simon enter the therapist's office.**

**Psychologist: I've just spoken with the others and it seems two have a **_**lot**_** on your shoulders. Tell me about that. **

**Simon: Ugh, this counseling is way too overboard. But for one, we have an egotistical maniac (Steph) claiming the Darkest Powers series is hers, which it's not. Then we have her perverted and all too clingy cousin (Christina) claiming to be in love with me - …**

**Christina: Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a sec. This is counseling and NOT couple's therapy? Please tell me its couple's therapy. It's couple's therapy, right?  
*glares at Simon*  
****Right, sweetie?  
*panics***

**Simon: Sweetie?! I don't even KNOW her!  
*points to Christina***

**Psychologist: *pinches the bridge of her nose*  
This is going to be a **_**very **_**long day.**

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**Scars**

**Derek POV**

I awoke to the sound of water dripping from a leaky faucet. The constant _drip, drip, drip _sounds had pulled me out of unconsciousness and thrust me back into the real world.

_Where am I, anyway? _I opened my eyes for the first time and surveyed my surroundings.

It looked like the basement to some sort of industrial building, but I couldn't be sure. There were hundreds of pipes lining the walls, intertwining and making it impossible to figure out where each one led. It was dark-there were only a few weak light bulbs illuminating the entire room- and it was very cold. My hands were handcuffed to a pipe directly above my head, and there was water dripping from it, causing me to shiver in those frigid temperatures.

_How had I gotten here? _I delved inside my head, but the memories were out of focus and hazy, making it impossible to remember anything of importance…

_That's a lie. You remember Chloe, don't you? Did you really think you were going to escape that guilt, even if you did have amnesia?_

No, I didn't. I'm never going to forget that look in her eyes. I'm gunna be haunted by it for the rest of my life, which probably won't be a very long time, judging by my surroundings…I pulled my head up and looked around again, hoping that a way out had miraculously materialized during my little pity-party.

No such luck. I was stuck here until whoever brought me here decided to move me.

_That's great, just great._

I shook my head and let my thoughts drift back to Chloe. I had fed her some bullshit about how I didn't care anymore and was leaving to find the Pack, when in reality, it was the exact opposite. It was because I cared so much about everyone that I had left by myself to search for my Dad- everyone else was essential for the break-in, except me. I was the only one who's powers couldn't be controlled, so it made the most sense for me to leave while everyone else prepared.

I knew Chloe would've wanted to come with me, so I was forced to fabricate a lie about how I had been using her and how I didn't really love her. It took a lot to convince her initially, but when a shadow of a doubt began to appear in her eyes, I ramped it up a bit and acted like a complete jerk.

_Figures. The last moments you get to spend with her, and you act like a jackass. Nice going, Einstein._

I let my conscience scold me- I deserved it, after all. Why had I been so stupid, going off alone? Had I really thought I could manage to locate my Dad all by myself?

_You've been acting pretty stupid lately, so yeah, maybe. At least you're consistent. First you tell the love of your life that you were just using her to practice your tonsil hockey skills, and now this? Yup, you've got stupid pretty much down pat._

_I didn't need the reminder, but thanks. You know, if there was ever a way to get your conscience removed, I think-_

"Well, well, well! The mutt's finally awake! Enjoy your nap, pup?"

"Yes, actually. It was really refreshing." I smiled at him, hoping he'd get close enough for me to-

He laughed manically. "That's good. Maybe now you'll be more reasonable about taking us up on our offer from before. You know, it was kinda rude of you to leave without making a decision 'n all." He was closer now- I could smell him, and the disgusting scent made me wrinkle my nose- but he still wasn't close enough for me to do what I needed to do. _Maybe if I provoked him enough…?_

"Why do you keep coming after me? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you have some freaky pedophilic tendencies or something!" I chuckled to myself after seeing the expression on his grubby face. "What's the matter, Liam? Do you enjoy getting off on little boys?" He smiled at me, and I caught a glimpse of something wild in his eyes.

"You know, mutt, I was gunna break you a deal or somethin', but now, I'm just gunna sit back and watch the Pack destroy you." He beamed, causing my stomach to churn with nausea.

"Why don't you let me outta here, and we can discuss this calmly?" I sounded desperate, which was probably exactly what he wanted. "Why can't you just let me go?"

He began circling me like a shark, maintaining a safe distance. "I can't do that, mutt. See, your cute little mate gave me quite the souvenir the last time we met," he showed me a deep scar on his lower thigh, "and I was kinda hoping to return the favour…if you know what I mean." He cocked his eyebrows suggestively, and I saw red. I began to struggle against the handcuffs, praying that I would get an adrenaline rush or something and be able to rip the pipe off the wall in order to escape.

Chloe had told me about a movie where the main character had managed to do that, and we had spent the entire night debating whether it was actually possible. I had argued no, but for the first time in…forever, I prayed I was wrong. I looked over at Liam, who was still smiling like an idiot. _Time to burst his bubble_.

"You'll never touch her, you filthy bastard!" I spat.

His smile disappeared. It was replaced by a sort of frustrated grimace. "All you have to do to stop it is turn yourself into the pack. It's the easiest way, and who knows? Maybe they'll actually let you live…?" He stroked his chin like he was deep in thought.

"Never." He wasn't going to get me to turn myself in. I had a mission, and I wasn't going to die without completing it. Plus, Chloe was completely safe, surrounded by people who could take care of her better than I ever could…

I looked over at Liam. He removed his hand from his pocket, withdrawing a knife. "Well then…I guess this means we have a little problem here, doesn't it, mutt?" He began advancing on me, stroking the knife like it was a precious jewel.

_I love you Chloe..._

---

**Chloe POV**

I shot up in bed, gasping for air, sweat pouring down my face. My heart was racing, and it took a couple of minutes for me to calm down enough to realize it was just a dream…

_That seemed way too real to be 'just a dream'…_

_Please, please shut up!_ I begged. _He's fine. He'd never allow himself to get caught by those redneck morons. Derek is always careful…_I stopped short; thinking about him was beginning to feel painful.

_Oh yeah? What about last time, hmm?_ It probed.

_That was completely different! He was worried about protecting me, and he wanted to get me out of there…can we please stop talking about this now…?_

After apologizing to Tori and Simon and promising I would never do anything like that again, I locked myself in my room and cried. I could no longer allow the anger to dull the pain, and without it, the intensity of my heartbreak hit me with full force; even thinking about it now caused a tear to escape my eyes.

Everyone knew about my little breakdown- I could hear footsteps scurrying in front of my door - people pacing, deciding whether to come in or not.

Noone had, and I was glad. I didn't want anyone to see me like this…

I heard a faint knock on the door. I looked over at my alarm clock- it said 7:14 pm- and got up. I yanked my fingers through my hair and tied it into a messy bun before opening the door.

Tori sauntered in, accompanied by Simon; the same anxious expression on each of their faces. _Whoa, they've really got this whole brother-sister thing down…_

"Um…hi guys." They didn't respond.

I tried again. "Is…anything wrong?" They looked at each other for a minute, communicating something silently. _Maybe they're still mad at me? I would be, if I was them…_

"Tori, Simon, I'm really sorry about-"

Tori cut me off. "It's ok Chloe. We already forgave you for going all psycho-bitch on us."

I looked over at the queen of grudges, but the look on her face told me she was completely serious.

"Um, not that I'm complaining or anything, but…why?" I struggled to make my tone sound appreciative, although I was a bit suspicious.

"Everybody gets _one_," she stated firmly. I heard the double meaning behind her words: _We're even now._

"Okay…thank you, I guess." We were silent for a few minutes, each lost inside our thoughts.

Tori wasn't having any of that.

"You guys know how much I love the quiet game, don't you? Well, now's not the time. We need to talk to you Chloe."

"It's really important," Simon added.

"Ok…shoot." The sooner they began this lecture, the sooner it'd be over.

Simon took the lead. They probably rehearsed this, I thought to myself.

"Ok Chloe. First, I'm gunna need you to sit down." I nodded. Confused, I made my way over to the vanity and sat down on the old-fashioned velvet stool. Simon continued.

"Ok. Now I'm gunna need you to promise you're not gunna freak out or anything…"

"Why would I-"

"Just make the stinking promise!" Tori said impatiently.

"Ok, ok! I promise not to freak out over what you're about to say." I held my hand over my heart like a boy scout for the added effect. "Now can you tell me what's going on?" I asked. "Simon, you look like you're gunna pop a vein in your head or something!" Simon opened his mouth to respond but closed it again when he was shoved out of view by Tori.

"Wait Tori! It'll be easier if I-" Simon began.

Tori didn't even let him finish his sentence. "Derek lied," she said abruptly.

_Well, duh._

I rolled my eyes at her. "I know that Tori. He told me, remember?" I was annoyed that she felt the need to bring this up again…

"No Chloe, I mean he lied about lying."

_Huh?_

"Um, what? He left to go join the Pack, didn't he?" I looked over at Tori, who was having another silent conversation with Simon.

"Guys?" I ventured. When they didn't answer, I tried again. "S-Simon? What's going on?"

Hearing the worried edge to my voice, Simon responded. "Um, it's like Tori said…he lied."

_Thanks for that in-depth explanation, it really cleared things up!_

"Simon, what are you talking about?" He sighed loudly, like he was about to undertake some huge burden.

"Simon?" When he didn't answer, Tori shoved him out of the way again. "I swear to God Simon, you have no balls whatsoever!" She turned to me..

"Chloe, he lied. He didn't leave to join the Pack, he went to go find our dad." My jaw dropped and I sat there gawking at her. I attempted to collect my thoughts before saying anything, but I wasn't getting anywhere.

"So he lied about where he was going. Big deal! It doesn't change anything else…other than the fact that he's an idiot." I looked up at Tori- she was pinching the bridge of her nose. "Wait, how'd you guys know about this anyway?"

This time Simon answered. "We all knew. Derek told us before he left."

_Wow, thanks._

"That's great guys, but I still don't get what this has to do with me!"

Tori exploded.

"Don't you get it?! He lied to you, told you he didn't care and everything else so that you wouldn't want to come with him! He had to go be all self-sacrificing and let you stay so that you wouldn't want to go with him on that stupid mission! He wanted to keep you nice and safe and happy here with us, but now you're depressed and he's…" She stopped her rant and pinched the bridge of her nose again.

"He's missing." Simon finished.

The world began spinning around me. I felt like I was in one of those low-budget art films where all the actors and the directors are on meth or something. Nothing was making sense, no matter how hard I tried to piece it all together; and what about my dream?! I had dismissed it as just that, a dream, but now...?

What if it was some kind of vision? Did precognition run in my family as well? Or maybe it was because it was Derek…?

"How do you know he's missing?" I demanded.

"He would call us everyday at the same time, and he hasn't called today." Simon sounded worried- he knew his brother, and Derek would never not follow through.

I got up and glided over to the closet, flinging the door open and retrieving my back-pack from inside. I closed the door and marched over to the armoire, pulling out the minuscule amount of clothing in my possession. I shoved them into the back-pack, not bothering to keep them neat and organized.

"What are you doing?!" Tori's voice pierced through the haze of my mind.

"Packing. I'm going to go find him, save him from whoever wants to kill him, and then once we're safe, I'm going to kill him myself!"

"You can't be serious! You can't just leave! Why don't you just send Liz to find him or something?" Simon's idea made the most sense, but for some reason, I knew it had to be me who did this.

"I'm leaving, guys. I have to find him. Tell my Aunt Lauren what I'm doing, and tell her I'll call her when I can."

"Wait, wait, wait! You're not leaving by yourself!"

"What?"

"Give us ten minutes to pack. We're going with you."

---

**A/N: There you have it! They're leaving the house to search for Derek! I hope they find him before it's too late! (Translation: 20 reviews or Derek's going to the big doghouse in the sky! :D )**


	24. Scars II

**Author's Note**: Sheeeeeeeee's baaaaaaaaaaaack!

I know you all missed me, but I'm here now and ready to write an incredibly long chapter! I actually wrote this while I was on vacation- it was 2am, everyone was asleep but me, and I got this sudden burst of inspiration- so you get a quick update today. I hope you enjoy it :)

Anyways, I'm trying to make my author's notes as short as possible, so I'll just talk a bit about the chapters and get right into it. Last chapter was pretty sad, but hopefully there's gunna be happier times soon. Sound good?

I'd like to give a big shoutout/bear hug to aaliyahlove25 for reviewing every chapter and being such a supportive fan of my fic. YOU ROCK! :D

One last thing: You guys know I've been writing this story since the beginning of July, and it's reached 24 chapters now. This story will be officially COMPLETE before school starts. It's sad, I know, but don't fret! I'm gunna start my new story after I finish this one, so I'm not abandoning you guys completely! :)

---

**Brought to you by The Genius Herself, Christina! AKA c.a.a (give her profile some love? For me? ) We love you! :)**

**Disclaimer:** Multiple powerful sedatives and many unsuccessful sessions of therapy later, we find Stephanie and Christina rocking back and forth in a padded cell, wrapped in white straightjackets.

Christina: He told me he loved me, that bastard!  
*Eye twitch*

Stephanie: Christina, love, that was a dream you had. It never really happened - he didn't actually say that to you.

Christina: Oh, shut it, Steph! The Darkest Powers Series isn't yours, and you know it! Have you seen me prancing around and crushing that dream of yours? NO! So go back to lamenting over the loss of your _dog_ and butt out of mine and Simon's relationship.

Stephanie: Dog?! Oh no you didn't!  
*lunges at Christina*

---

**Scars Part II**

**Chloe POV**

"Can you move any _slower, _Tori?"

"Well sooooorry! I told you a hundred times before: I can't run! But did you listen? No! You were too busy daydreaming about Chloe!"

_God, kill me now._

After only six hours of traveling with Tori and Simon, I was already ready to snap. It was true- they _had _gotten closer over the past few weeks, but that didn't mean the arguments were going to stop (or decrease, for that matter) anytime soon…

"Hey Tori; remember how you said you love the quiet game? Can we…play it now?" I asked uncertainly. I didn't need another Tori explosion on my hands…

"Sorry Chloe, we'll stop if we're bothering you." Simon apologized, right on cue.

"No! I d-didn't mean it l-like that Simon, really! I just don't want you guys to argue anymore." I tried to make it sound as sincere as possible so he wouldn't feel like I didn't want them around. "_We_ need to start formulating a strategy!" I emphasized.

"Ok…?" Simon was probably a bit frightened by my enthusiasm. "Let's go over what we know," he suggested.

"Ok; Derek said he was going to check out one of your Dad's old contacts, right?" Simon had revealed what he knew of Derek's journey along the way, so it was fresh in my mind.

_Like you would forget._

"Yeah, and then, when he couldn't find the person, he moved on to Boston, where we lived right after my Dad ran from the Edison Group."

"But when he got there, he hit another dead end: the guy was long dead, so he crossed over into Canada for a bit," Tori piped up, eager to join in the conversation and feel significant

_Yeah, she really loves being the center of attention, doesn't she? Must be the whole 'mommy-doesn't-love-me' complex..._

_Hey! I thought we agreed you'd stop with the bitter comments? Keep em to yourself!_

_Darling, I _am _keeping them to myself!_

I shook my head vigorously to clear it of any other strange thoughts. _Even without the powers, I'd still be in need of some serious therapy. There's no denying that…_

_Yuppers!_

"Uhh…Chloe? Are you ok? Your face went kinda blank for a minute there…" I realized what Simon meant and snapped out of my stupor. "Chloe, can you hear me?"

"Omigosh, I'm so sorry Simon! I'm really tired, I guess I just zoned out or something…" I apologized profusely, feeling guilty for ignoring him.

_Yeah, you really need to work on the whole talking-to-yourself-while-talking-to-other-people thing…_

Tori suddenly began giggling like a four-year-old on sugar. Simon and I exchanged confused glances, watching as she held her sides and doubled over laughing.

"I think she's finally lost it…" Simon said.

"No! Its just…the look on her face!" Tori snorted loudly. "I told you she took the short bus!" I raised an eyebrow at her and looked over at Simon. He was shaking his head, and when he noticed me looking, he mouthed the word 'lame' silently. I nodded.

"Tori, I think you need to get some rest before you implode," I said tentatively; her mood swings were as unpredictable as the weather in England.

She straightened up immediately. "Finally! I thought you were going to make me keep walking. God, don't you people know when to take a break?" She plopped down on a rock and crossed her legs.

"So you were just acting so we'd stop? Seriously?"

"Yes, Simon. Now be a good brother and put up the tents!" she commanded.

Simon glanced over at me. "Is that okay with you, Chloe?"

"Yeah, I guess we could take a break. We're all tired, and there's no sense in continuing if we're too tired to focus." I threw my duffel bag onto the grass and began helping Simon assemble the tents.

*******

One hour, multiple minor injuries and a few curse words later, Tori was snoring loudly inside her tent while Simon and I sat around the fire, warming ourselves up and talking.

I still had a lot of questions for him, and I wanted them answered.

"What happened, Simon? The last thing I remember is falling asleep on the table after Derek woke up, and the next thing I know, he's waking me up and telling me he's leaving!"

He sighed. "It's all my fault, Chloe. We were arguing, and I let it get way out of hand. I was trying to guilt-trip him, and then he tried to guilt-trip me, and everything just…exploded in my face." He put his head in his hands, like remembering what happened was painful for him. I opened my mouth to tell him it was okay, he didn't need to tell me, but he continued on before I could get the words out.

"We were sitting in the kitchen alone, and we were just talking about stupid stuff like how annoying Tori is and the weather. Then he asked if I had made any progress with finding our Dad while he was 'out'. I told him, no, there hadn't been any progress made, and he got annoyed and asked why." He paused to take a tortured breath.

"I told him I had other stuff to worry about, and he got even more annoyed, asking 'what the hell could you possibly have to worry about, when we need to find Dad and take down the Edison Group?'."

"I kind of started yelling then, telling him I was obviously worried sick over him, and how everyone else was concerned about him. Then he had the nerve to tell me that I shouldn't have wasted my time and that what happened to him shouldn't have been 'any of _your _concern, Simon!'." His voice adapted the same grumbling tone as Derek's as he imitated his brother.

"Then I got pretty pissed off. I told him about how you hadn't slept in days and how he should be fucking grateful, and that _he _should go looking for out Dad if he thought I was doing such a crappy job. Then he says 'I will' calmly and just…leaves!" He sighed again, louder this time.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Simon. You were just defending yourself," I assured him. My mind was desperately trying to figure out why Derek would act the way he did, but it was coming up short.

Simon continued to torment himself. "It is my fault, Chloe! He was trying to provoke me just like before, and I took the bait again! If he had been yelling at you or Tori, you guys would've told him to go screw himself or something… but me? I agreed with him! I let him lecture me!" He dropped his head into his hands again dejectedly. I felt a twang of pity for him; the weight of the guilt he felt must've been crushing him the whole time, but somehow, he still managed to put on a happy face everyday.

Apparently my conscience felt sorry for him as well.

_Poor Simon! The world needs more people like him…how could Derek hurt him like this? I thought they were best friends, not to mention brothers…_

"Simon, I know why Derek said all those things to you, and trust me, none of it is your fault."

"What'd you mean?"

"Well, first, there's his need to hide his problems and blame them on someone else. Remember how he always used to yell at me for no reason when he was scared?"

"Yeah…?"

"And then there's his hero complex. He always has to 'save the day!' Am I right?"

"I guess…"

"And lastly, he _was _worried about your Dad, and you. He was probably mad that you risked your health for him, especially because you've got the diabetes to worry about. He wanted you to be able to take care of yourself without him around, I guess."

"I already do that just fine!"

"Oh yeah? So that time you fainted was just a fluke, right?" He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again, defeated.

"Simon, he really does want to find your Dad, too. And he doesn't want you along incase it's all for nothing. He doesn't want to crush your hopes OR give you any more false hope." I let my voice soften to convince him. He nodded thoughtfully.

"So, do you really think he left because of all that?" Simon asked.

"I think so, but I'm not 100% sure; although I do know a bit about how his mind works," I admitted.

"Yeah, you guys do think alike. I think you've got some pretty solid points there... but either way, I'm gunna help you murder him once he's safe!" I chuckled, glad that he believed me.

"Thanks, Chloe."

"For what? I didn't do anything!"

"Yeah, you did. You're a good person- I'm glad my idiot brother has someone like you; although I _did _tell him NOT to screw things up…"

I laughed lightly. "I guess he wasn't listening? Kinda strange, since he does have the werewolf hearing 'n all." He laughed before getting up.

"Well, I'm gunna go get some sleep before we have to set out again. I'm gunna need all my energy to be able to put up with _that._" He pointed towards Tori's tent right as a monstrous snore shook the framework of the shelter.

"Alright. Good night, Simon."

"Night, Chloe." He trudged over to his tent and dived inside. Within moments he was snoring as well, and I was left alone.

*******

I realized I was dreaming after a few monkeys hopped past wearing tutus. It was one of those dreams where _you know _you're dreaming, but you still can't control what's going on.

It was a fairly normal dream when compared to the other dreams I had been having as of late, and I was glad for it.

I began walking down the empty streets of 'dreamland', the pink sidewalks and orange skies strangely comforting. I stepped onto a patch of purple grass and peered around, not knowing what I was looking for. I noticed a drab gray door off to my left that seemed out of place in this bright, sunny world, and for some reason, I opted to see where it led.

The door closed noisily behind me, the deafening bang causing me to jump out of my clothing. I was confronted with a long, dark hallway, most likely leading somewhere I didn't want to be; I followed it anyway.

After a few minutes of walking, I spotted a distinctive glow at the end of the tunnel. I made my way towards it, emerging dramatically into the hardly-lit room. For some reason, I was not comforted by the light- instead, it made me feel uncomfortable and anxious.

I studied the room I was in, searching for some sign of an exit. I was in some sort of auditorium, the lights all dimmed except for a single spotlight on center stage. My eyes were drawn to it, and I my gaze was so transfixed on the mysterious light that I almost didn't notice the huddled mass on the ground underneath the light.

It was Derek; bloodied, broken…

Dead.

I bolted for the stage, not caring about where I was anymore. All I knew was that I needed to touch him, to make sure it wasn't real…

I felt the familiar tingle of recognition. _Corpse! Corpse! _Even my body was telling me he was dead, but I didn't care. I kept running, screaming his name, praying he'd wake up.

I finally reached him. He was laying in a pool of his own blood, although I could see no wounds anywhere on his person. I pulled his lifeless form away from the blood, but he didn't respond.

He was gone, but I couldn't stop trying. I grabbed his shoulders and began shaking him as hard as I could. When it didn't work, the tears started to flow, clouding my vision. Someone pulled me back and wrapped their arms around me, although I couldn't be bothered to figure out who it was…

"He's gone."

I awoke to the feeling of the two arms, still encircling me. I kept my eyes closed.

"Chloe, wake up!" Whoever it was shook me gently.

_I don't want to! _I felt like screaming to the arms. They were all wrong, nothing like the warm, comforting arms I craved…

My eyes shot open.

"Simon?"

"Chloe! Are you okay? What happened? You were crying and calling out-"

I was on my feet in a flash, grabbing everything I could reach and packing it away hap-hazardly and wiping the tears away. If this was anything like my other dream, then...I didn't let myself finish the thought. "We have to go, Simon! We have to find him!"

---

**Derek POV**

My eyes shot open.

I was weak; confused._ Where…am I? _I studied my surroundings as best as I could using my elevated senses.

_Is that…what.. is it? Blood?_ I looked around again, following the scent to its source.

There was a puddle of blood directly below me. My head began to spin, the dizziness triggering nausea in my empty stomach.

_The heat! _The heat was almost unbearable. I could feel the temperature rising marginally, and there was something else…

I looked around for the third time, finally noticing the blood spatters on the wall. _Are those…from me?_ I wriggled around, trying to turn myself around to study the rest of the room.

There was blood everywhere, and it _was_ mine; definitely mine.

I waited a few moments, trying to calm myself down and attempt to figure out what had happened. When no memories came, I settled on investigating as best as I could and building theories based on my evidence.

I looked up at my arms. They were still chained to the pipe, except they had accumulated a few new bruises and scars. I tested my weight on them and found that I couldn't move my left hand without pain shooting up my entire left arm.

_Shit! It's probably broken._

I looked up again, almost too late to see the muscles in my arm ripple and surge like snakes.

_Please, not now! Not when I'm alone and already hurt_…

I gazed downwards to survey the rest of the damage. There were more of the same deep gashes and bruises on my legs, and my right knee-cap looked out of place and was unnaturally positioned.

I trailed my gaze up to my abdomen, where there was a strange feeling of numbness. There was only one rip in my shirt, but it was flat and horizontal…

Just like a knife.

The memories of Liam's horrific torture sessions came crashing back. He had left no part of me untouched, running his knife along every part of my skin while Ramon stood back and laughed maniacally.

He would ask the same question over and over again: _Had I changed my mind? Would I turn myself into the Pack?_

When I answered no, he would cut me. The last time, he had been so angry that he had full-on stabbed me in the stomach, causing me to loose all that blood and pass out…

_That bastard. He'll pay._

I stared down at my stomach, watching the muscles spasm. I could feel the familiar itchiness on my skin, and the hair was already beginning to lengthen on my arms. The pain was already present and accounted for, pulsating through my body and causing me to writhe around violently. The nausea I had been feeling earlier intensified until I vomited, the smell replacing the earlier stench of blood…

I was Changing, and this time, I knew it would follow through.

_But what if I couldn't? What if whatever those scientists did to me was stopping me from completing the Change? Was something blocking the werewolf genes? What if it built itself up, but I could never Change? Would I survive the explosion of raw power?_

My subconscious was screaming 'no!', and something inside me knew it was right.

For the second time in two days, I prepared for the end.

---

**Author's Note**: Whew! Extra long chapter; I'm exhausted! Hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, please review. I'm hoping for the usual 20 (or more, if you want!), but just to be clear, I'm not just gunna stop writing forever if I don't get em (some people seem to think I was implying that) - I just hope you guys will take the time to tell me what you think! :) Thank you to everyone who does!


	25. Insanity

**Author's Note:** Hello, and welcome to the first chapter of The Finding ever written on my BRAND NEW LAPTOP! :)

I'm so excited! Now I can write wherever I want! (For example, right now I'm in the basement, when usually I'd be writing this in my room, stuck to my desktop. EWW.) Anyways, I'm gunna stop obsessing now and talk about stuff you guys will actually care about (or not, whatever floats your boat I guess…)

Last chapter we found out why Derek left, among other things. This chapter will be pretty pivotal in the story, but I'm not gunna tell you why here. Read the chapter to find out!

Lastly, a big thank you goes out to everyone who reviewed last chapter, even when it wasn't mandatory. I LOVE YOU ALL! 3

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This week your disclaimer comes from lil' ol' me, because our beloved Christina is going in for surgery tomorrow- it's sad, I know, but Christina will be back next chapter. For now, wish her luck!

**Disclaimer:** This is based on a skit from an episode of family guy (cookie monster in the asylum; my absolute favourite!)

Steph: *Smashing laptop*  
Cummon, common! WHY WON'T YOU WORK?!

Doctor: *Walks in*  
What's this?  
*Points to laptop*

Steph: Oh, that?  
*Nervously looks around room*  
I've never seen it before! It's probably Justin's; he was in here cleaning before, I swear!

Doctor: Is that right?  
*grabs sedative*

Steph: No! I own darkest powers! You can't do this to me! I have to write!

Doctor: (to male nurses) Hold her down.

Steph: NO!!!  
*struggles and screams*

Doctor: *injects it, she's falling asleep.*  
Shhh, it's ok! You know you don't own DP, but it's gunna be ok, chil'! We're gunna get you help!

---

**Insanity**

**Simon POV **

Chloe was acting insane.

Her eyes were wild, and her movements were erratic and inconsistent- one minute she was running around like a madwoman, and the next, she was sitting on a rock with her head in her hands, shaking uncontrollably.

"Chloe, what the hell happened? What's going on?" I asked anxiously. She had been screaming in her sleep, and Derek had told me what had happened the last time…

"Simon, I had a really horrible dream, and I know something's wrong with Derek. We have to keep going! We have to find him!" She grabbed my arm for emphasis, and her grip was so tight that her nails were digging into my skin painfully.

"Chloe, that was just a dream!" I tried to console her. "Why are you so worked up about it?" I asked, confused by her behavior. She proceeded to tell me about the dream she had had the night before.

*******

"Are you serious? You _knew _Derek was in trouble before we even told you?!" I was shocked; was it possible she was some sort of multi-talented psychic necromancer, or could it be the fact that she had such a strong connection with Derek…?

"Chloe, are you _sure?_" I hated to doubt her, but if she was overreacting, then I wasn't going anywhere before I got my 8 hours…

When she answered, there was ferocity in her expression that frightened me. "Simon, please! I'm not joking around! We have to go, now!"

There was no doubting the sincerity of her words. "Please, Simon?" she repeated, begging now.

I sighed."Fine. I'll go wake up Tori."

*******

"What did you see in your dream, Chloe? It might help us figure out where Derek is."

We were walking now, miles away from our previous 'campsite'. We had left immediately after I had woken up a very grumpy Tori…

"Well, in my first dream, I saw the basement of some sort of warehouse or something. There were pipes lining the walls, only one light bulb…and I'm pretty sure the walls were gray," she said, biting her lip as she recalled the memories.

"What about your second dream?" I asked.

She bit her lip again. "Umm…I'm pretty sure it was irrelevant, but it was some sort of theatre, I think…"

I nodded slowly. "So we're looking for some sort of warehouse near a theatre, right?"

"I guess so…but wait, where was Derek when you last spoke with him?"

"He was here in Buffalo, actually. He wanted to start over….he wanted to come back." I whispered the last part too quietly for her to hear, because I knew it would upset her more.

It was true - Derek had been coming back.

We had apologized to each other one night, and he admitted to me that he had made a mistake and couldn't do it alone. The plan was for him to return after looking around Buffalo one more time, but he had disappeared after he called me from a bus depot nearby...

It was pretty dang ironic, if you ask me. The way that everything was-

"Simon?" Chloe waved a hand in front of my face to get my attention.

"Sorry, Chloe, I was just thinking hard about something. What were you saying?"

"I was just about to ask where the closest theatre is. Did you happen to see one while you were in town with Andrew and my Aunt Lauren?" she asked hopefully.

I struggled to resurface the memories from that day. I had been pretty bored, traveling around with two adults who discussed things like the stock market and their mutual interest in _Science Today…._

"Didn't you tell me you saw some creepy old place near the art store you got your new supplies from?" Tori reminded me. She hadn't spoken the whole time we had been walking, so I was a bit surprised by her voice…and by the fact that she had actually been paying attention when I told her something so insignificant.

"Yeah, I did!" I smiled at my sister, suddenly remembering everything. The building had looked old and creepy, but I wasn't sure if it was what we were looking for. "But…I'm not sure if it was a theatre. It could have been something else," I admitted gravely.

"Where there any big buildings or warehouses close by?" Chloe asked.

I struggled to remember what I had seen that day; it had been an older part of town I had ventured into, and nothing had seemed momentous enough for me to remember, let alone register. "Umm….there was a Starbucks, but that's definitely not it…I think there was a Costco, or maybe a Wal-Mart? I'm not sure…"

"Those stores usually have huge warehouse-style basements, don't they?" Chloe sounded excited now, and I hated to do it, but…

"Chloe, it would probably be pretty difficult for someone to break into those stores. I mean, there'd be alarms and stuff, and video surveillance, and…"

"But what if…maybe there's a chance, Simon? Maybe whoever took Derek figured out a way to evade the cameras and the alarm? I mean, it's possible, right?"

I nodded, feeling guilty for giving her so much hope when it would probably all be for nothing.

"Chloe, first we need to _get there! _It was an hour long car ride, so it's probably more than double that on foot!_"_ I watched as her face fell considerably before she suddenly perked up again, the determination evident in her eyes.

"Let's get moving, then! Two hours is _nothing _compared to 3 days on the run! We can do this!" She sounded like a cheerleader giving a pep-talk to a disgruntled underdog team; it took a lot of self- control to keep me from laughing.

"Um…I'm not sure if you noticed, but we're already 'going'," Tori grumbled sleepily.

Chloe's face fell. "I'm sorry, Tori. I know you're tired n' all, but if we wanna find Derek, we're gunna have to make a few sacrifices."

_You're teling me! I'm so exhausted I can't even think straight!_

Tori grumbled something that sounded like 'yeah' and kept walking with her head down until we reached the city.

*******

We were utterly exhausted.

We had walked around the entire city, concentrating on the areas in town with warehouses, theatres, and large department stores…

We still hadn't found him, and Tori's patience was wearing thin.

"Maybe we should try the next town over?" I suggested half-heartedly. I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and never wake up again, but Chloe kept insisting that we kept going…

Tori exploded before Chloe could respond.

"No! I'm not going anywhere! Do you think I'm enjoying this wild-goose-chase? 'Cuz lemme tell ya, I'm sick and tired of this! I got two, count em, TWO hours of sleep last night, and only 6 hours the night before! I'm exhausted, and now, after your little city-wide promenade, you expect me to _keep going?! _I don't think so! I never signed up for this! I never agreed to risk my life to save wolf-boy!" Her face was getting redder by the minute, and Chloe was just standing there taking it, dumbstruck.

Tori continued her explosive rant. "Did it ever occur to either of you that maybe he's _not _missing? That your dreams were just dreams? Maybe he doesn't _want _to be found? Did you ever consider _that? _

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. It was clear she had never considered this possibility- to tell you the truth, neither had I- but Tori's delivery method of this particular theory was _way _too harsh…

"Tori, that was out of line. You know Derek wouldn't just take off without telling us; he's not like that!"

Tori advanced on me. "Oh yeah, Simon? How much do you really know about your 'brother'? How much has he told you? You never even knew he had a thing for Chloe until he told you! You believed everything he said! What else could he have been keeping from you?"

That hurt. "Tori, I-"

"Don't _Tori _me, Simon! I'm sick of this little adventure! I'm gunna go inside and buy myself a decent meal! Then I'm going back to the house, whether you choose to join me or not!"

Chloe spoke them. "Wait, Tori!"

Tori spun around to face Chloe. "I'm not waiting anymore, Chloe! I'm sick-"

Chloe cut her off. "Sick and tired of this, yeah, I know. Now can you shut up for a minute? There's something off about this place!" She rubbed her temples and looked up at the building, scrutinizing it, although it seemed relatively normal, save for the neon yellow "WE SELL FOR LESS!" sign plastered to the brick wall. There was nothing about the place that caught my eye, but maybe…

"Wait a sec. I wanna check something." I ran to the corner and peered around it, studying the other structures on the street, my face exploding into a huge smile as I finally recognized where we were. "There's the creepy theatre! There, right next to the art store! This is it, Chloe!"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "This is it, then? We'll need a plan, and you guys need to cast some spells so we can get in, and-"

Tori finally caught on. "Screw that! Let's get this rescue over with!"

---

**Author's Note: Sorry about the short-ness guys! This was originally wayyyy longer, but it didn't seem right, so I had to split it up.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that. It was kinda like me baptizing my laptop, in a way :D Can I have 20 reviews for this chapter? Pretty please?**

**ANNND! If you guys are looking for another great DP fanfic to read, my friend Lyndsay has written a Twilight/ DP crossover. It's called **_**Who Knew? **_**and it's absolutely hilarious! You guys should definitely go check it out! (Review if you do! She wants your opinions!)**


	26. Hesitation

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! I know I promised I'd post this faster, but I was having some computer troubles, and…well, you know how it goes. Shit happens!

Anyways, I'd like to give a huge shoutout to all of you guys! This story has been favourited/ story alert-ed over 250 times! I feel that this is a HUGE accomplishment, and I owe it all to you guys for sticking with me and inspiring me throughout this whole process. Give yourselves a pat on the back!

And, because a pat in the back is a sucky prize (or at least I always thought so, I mean, common!) your consolation is this: I am officially starting work on the lemon.

You didn't read that wrong! I'm gunna start work on the lemon, which, as I promised, will be included somewhere in the next few chapters. Sound good? I knew it would!

That's all for today! Enjoy the chapter (you deserve it!).

PS. Christina says thank you to everyone who wished her well! She is officially recovering at the moment, and she's doing great.

**--- **

**Disclaimer: **Steph & Christina have managed to dig their way out of the asylum Shwashank- style. They meet up in the forest to plot their revenge.

Steph: Those bastards are gunna pay for what they did to us!

Christina: Yeah! They thought they could just throw us away like yesterday's trash, but we're gunna show them!

Steph: Yeah! They thought they could tell me I didn't own Darkest Powers, but we're gunna show them!

Christina: Show 'em what? You don't own Darkest Powers!

Steph: *Glares and smiles*  
Are you sure we should be getting into this here? We're in a dark forest at night, after all.

Christina: *Nervous and scared*  
Let's not start this again, okay? Let's save it for the guys! Okay?  
*Smiles nervously*

---

**Hesitation**

**Chloe POV**

I couldn't believe our luck! Right when we had been on the verge of giving up, we had found the place.

I also couldn't believe that something so evil was occurring undetected inside a Wal-Mart, but I had learned long ago that looks could be deceiving….

Tori had apparently already gotten over the shock, because she rushed forward and grabbed the handle of the 'employees only' door.

"Tori, wait!" I called to her frantically. "You can't just go rushing into this! We're not prepared! We have no idea what to expect!"

"I'm tired of hesitating, Chloe! Let's just do this!" She pumped her fist like a football player, and I choked back a laugh.

"What are you so afraid of, anyways?" she added as an afterthought. "We have our powers to protect us!"

_She's right you know. What are you so afraid of? You should be charging in thereto save your- oh, wait. He's not your boyfriend anymore, is he?_

And that was exactly it; bullseye, right on the money. Tori's words from before- although I was pretty sure she hadn't meant them- were fresh in my mind. She had made some really good points…and what had I been able to counter them with?

Nothing at all, because- although I hated to admit it- she was right.

What if Derek really _had _decided to just…leave? Was it really such an impossible concept to grasp…?

Part of me wouldn't; _couldn't _forget his words from that night…

"_I'm leaving. There's nothing for me here- I'm better off joining the Pack."_

"_You can't be serious."_

"_I am. I'm tired of running from the Edison Group; it's not my fight. They wanted to throw me to the Pack, so I'm better off just going willingly. Then they have nothing on me."_

"_Nothing..? What about finding your dad? What about helping us avenge the deaths of all those innocent supernaturals?!"_

"_Not my problem," he grumbled._

"_NOT YOUR PROBLEM? YOU WERE THE ONE WHO GOT US INTO THIS!"_

"_No, I didn't. I just told you what you were. You didn't have to listen to me- that was your choice."_

"_What about me?" _

"_We can't do this anymore, Chloe. I'm too dangerous, and… it's not right. It's unethical! Werewolves are only supposed to mate with werewolves, end of story. No exceptions. It was wrong of me to lead you on and lie like that. I really hope you can forgive me."_

He had hurt me, destroyed me- broken me beyond repair. Could it really all have been an act…?

And that was why I was hesitating; not because we weren't prepared, not because I was unsure of what our course of action should be…

No. I was hesitating because I was _scared- _scared to death about what lay waiting inside this seemingly ordinary building, because I wasn't ready to face either scenario.

They both involved pain and heartbreak.

One the one hand, we could find Derek bloodied and broken, clinging to life by a withered thread. Could I possibly handle such a thing? I had seen him at his worst, weak and vulnerable during his partial Changes…but this? This was something entirely different.

And on the other hand? Well, that one meant pain and heartbreak for _me. _Would I be able to face him again after all he'd done, if I found him alive and well?

I honestly didn't know.

Did I still love him?

Of course- with every fibre of my being. Every follicle, every cell, every part of me knew it, too. But would I be able to handle seeing him happy without me? Could I handle that kind of betrayal?

I allowed my thoughts to drift back to that moment after he had confessed it all to me.

"_Chloe?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I love you." _

He had said it simply, but his words had been so devastatingly sincere…could he have been faking then? Was he capable of such blasphemy?

_Of course not! Stop it, will you? That was probably the happiest moment of your entire life, and now you want to second-guess and over-analyze everything about it? Are you stupid or something?_

_No! _I responded, defensively. _But he left…_

_Do you really think he would just abandon Simon? Did you really think he would just give up on his father? Did you actually think those dreams were just dreams?_

Arguing with myself was getting me nowhere, and my inner voice couldn't seem to keep its loyalties straight.

_Geez_! _Can you just pick a side, already? You're being about as helpful as Tori on PMS!_

_OK, here's me picking a side: stop acting like such a brat!_

_Huh? _

_Yeah, you heard me! All you're thinking about is yourself! Has it ever occurred to you that Derek may be fighting for his life while you stand here hesitating because you're _afraid _of what this'll do to _you?! _Pull your head outta your ass and smell the death and destruction, sweetheart! This isn't about YOU!_

Well I'll be damned. It's one thing when your conscience speaks to you, and another when you talk back…but when it starts lecturing you on being a self-centered coward? That's when you know there's some crazy shit happening…especially when you can't deny that it's right.

"You're right, Tori. Enough is enough," I finally agreed.

She nodded, as if I hadn't skipped a beat. The lengthy conversation I had enjoyed with my conscience must've taken less time than I'd originally thought.

Simon finally spoke. "Guys, I'm all for rescuing my brother, but Chloe _was _right before- we need to put up some defensive spells before we go storming in there…" He was thoughtful for a moment. "We should also find a way to evacuate everyone in the store, if that's possible. The less people around, the better."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Simon," Tori agreed.

We got to work.

Tori and Simon put up a sort of magical force-field, telling me it would keep us and any other supernatural _in _while allowing civilians _out._

With nothing else to do, I sat down and focused, trying to see if I could detect anything coming from inside. I wasn't sure if my new-found abilities were limited to my dreams, or if they were only present due to my worry over Derek.

I concentrated for a few moments, trying to tap into the energy around me like I was supposed to have learned to do. There was definitely something coming from inside, some weird energy that caused my stomach to churn with nausea.

It was a familiar feeling- something I had experienced before- but I couldn't remember where, when, or why I had ever felt this way...

My gut was telling me it wasn't something I wanted to remember.

"Chloe! We're ready! Let's go!"

Tori's voice pulled me out of my trance. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. We casted that spell and a few others… We should be okay."

I felt it unnecessary to point out that "should" was the operative word in this situation, but decided against it. It was time for action, time to put my concern for myself second to the concern I felt for the people I loved.

I pulled open the back door and slid myself through the narrow space, finally ready to face what lay ahead.

---

**Author's Note:** My gosh guys, I just watched _Silence of the Lambs _while writing this, and….my gosh, I'll never be the same again.

Anyways, there's part two, guys! Hope you liked it! If you leave twenty reviews, I'll recover faster :) And don't forget, I'm now working on the lemon!


	27. Change

**Author's Note**: Hello everyone! You're probably a bit angry at me right now because of the cliffie and the uber-late update, but I'm working hard to make it up to you! :D

Chapter discussions! Last chapter, Chloe figured out/ got over some pretty critical stuff, Tori had a bit of an outburst, and Simon just stood there. :) This chapter is probably the one you've all been waiting for (no, it's not the lemon, gosh!) and have been annoyed at me for taking so long to write…I hope it meets (or surpasses, I'm not picky!) your expectations…If not, feel free to send feedback!

I'm gunna try and keep this as short as possible, so that'll be it for today, but I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has stuck with the story through all of my sporadic updating! You guys are the reason I kept writing after chapter 1 (also the reason I didn't just scream 'SCREW THIS!' and _delete _chapter 1 like I was going to, but I don't like thinking about that!) :)

---

**Disclaimer**: Christina and Steph have been wandering through the forest for hours, and Christina's getting antsy.

Christina: Steeeeeeeeeeeeph! Are we there yet?

Steph: *Pinches bridge of nose*  
Christina, I'm gunna give you the same answer I gave you the last time you asked, which was three minutes ago. No, we are not there yet.

**A few minutes later…**

Christina: Steeeeeeeeeeeph! Are we there _now?_

Steph: NO! And, if you ask me again, I'm gunna leave you here all alone! Got it?

Christina: Ugh, fine! You know, that was pretty rude of you!

Steph: Yeah, got a problem?

Christina: No, but _I _have something to say: You don`t own Darkest Powers!  
*Sticks out tongue*

Steph: Christina! We`ve been through this! You don`t talk about how I don`t own Darkest Powers, and I don`t talk about how Simon doesn't love you! Remember?

Christina: *Bursts into tears*  
He does love me, you`ll see! It's just a matter of slipping him the correct dose of GHB!

Steph: *Eye twitches, backs away slowly and runs*

---

**Change**

**Chloe POV **

He was gone.

We had tiptoed in, quietly and cautiously, but it was all in vain- there was no one there.

Even so, the sight our eyes met with was anything but pleasant.

There was red everywhere- on the walls, flooding the floor…there was even some dripping from the ceiling. For a few moments, all I could see was red.

And the _smell! _

The smell was sickening. The odor of vomit hung in the air, along with the stink of decomposition.

There was a body somewhere nearby.

The thought made my stomach turn, and the combination of it all finally took its toll. I swayed unsteadily.

"Chloe!" Simon caught me before I hit the ground. "Are you okay?"

"I have to get out of here," I breathed. "There's something…someone's dead. There's a body in here somewhere." He was shocked and terrified, I was sure, but his composure never wavered.

"Tori," he called. "I'm taking Chloe outside. Look around," Simon instructed, leading me outside.

"Sure, why not? Just leave me here, all alone in the middle of something straight outta CSI! Don't worry about it, I'll be fine!" Tori said sarcastically. Simon rolled his eyes before closing the door behind us

"Are you sure it's safe to leave her all alone in there?" I asked, echoing Tori.

"Pretty sure. There's nothing alive in there…" He trailed off, not telling me how he knew. "On second thought, maybe I should go help her out. How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok now," I lied. The feeling of nausea was getting worse, and I really didn't want him around if I puked.

"You sure? I can stay if you're not; Tori can take care of herself without me."

"Yeah, I'm f-fine. G-go." He got up and brushed some imaginary dirt off of his jeans.

"I'll be right back," he assured me, slipping through the door. The sound of it slamming shocked me out of my stupor and chased the worst of the nausea away. I sat in silence for a few moments, refusing to allow my conscience to 'voice' its opinions- I didn't need someone to _tell_ me how bad this looked.

_Yeah, the handcuffs, broken pipes, blood, vomit, and dead body kinda speak for themselves, don't they?_

I didn't respond. Instead, I tried collecting my jumbled thoughts.

When that didn't work, I focused on keeping my breathing steady. The repetitive rhythm of it calmed me down and made me forget where I was for a few moments. My eyelids began to droop, and I was almost asleep when…

"Chloe?" Simon called softly. "Can you come in here, please? We need your help with something."

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes reluctantly before standing up and following him inside.

*******

I wish I could say that the surprise had worn off, that the second time I walked into that room the shock of what was in front of me had lost its effect, but if I did, I'd be lying.

The scene was still as ghastly and gruesome as I'd left it, save for the mediocre attempt to clean up some of the blood someone had made; it had probably been Simon, trying to make things easier for me so I'd co-operate.

I held my breath to keep myself from vomiting. "W-what's wr-wrong, guys?" I sprinted through the question, trying to conserve my limited air supply.

Simon opened his mouth to answer, but as usual, Tori took control. "We found the bodies," she said bluntly, sounding bored.

My heart sank faster than the Titanic (the movie version, at least).

_What do they need me here for? Why would they drag me back in here to look at the bodies, when-_

"Wait, did you say _bodies? _As in, body with an 's'?"

"Uh, yeah… plural and everything. They're pretty fucked up, too…I don't know why, though, they looked pretty normal to me," she admitted.

"So Derek's not here?" I asked, confused.

"Nope."

"Oh. Okay…Where are the bodies?" I asked, interested now, although the thought of being in the same room as a rotting corpse made my skin crawl.

"In here." Simon pointed to a doorway, partly-hidden behind a piece of abandoned dry-wall. "It looks like they were trying to get away from something and got caught." Simon led me into the other room and pointed to the bodies. "They looked like they got mauled by some kind of wild animal or something… I don't know if magic can do that, though; maybe only really powerful or out-of-control magic…?" He sounded like he was talking only to himself, so I crept forward until I was practically standing on top of the corpses. I took a deep breath and looked down.

Someone had laid the bodies arranged face-down on the ground- all that was visible was their backs and their blood-soaked, shredded clothing.

I could feel my pulse racing as I studied what I _could _see: they were of average height, and although it was hard to tell through the blood and the lack of intact material, I could make out a distinctively plaid-like pattern.

Something about that seemingly-trivial observation triggered the sweat glands in my palms. I didn't know what, but something was definitely _off _about these two, and I wanted to know what.

They seemed familiar, but I couldn't remember where or why…

"Simon, can you turn them over for me please? I have a feeling I know who they are…"

"Umm…sure, just gimme a sec. What was the incantation for that levitation spell again?"

"Wingardium leviosa?" I tried lamely.

"Yeah, if only it was as easy as Potter made it look!" He grinned lopsidedly and looked over at

Tori. "Hey, do you mind turning these guys over? I kinda forgot the incantation."

"Sure, why not? First you leave me alone in the middle of _Texas Chainsaw Massacre, _and then you expect me to do heavy-lifting? Some hero you are!"

"Tori, I wouldn't be telling you to do it if I could remember the spell."

"Well, whose fault is that?" she ventured

"Just move the friggin' things, will you?"

"Fine!" Tori flicked her wrist in a very non-challant manner, and the bodies zoomed upward, flipped over, and plopped back down.

I screamed.

"Chloe, calm down! What's wrong? Did you know them or something?" Simon asked frantically. _They're dead, _I reminded myself. _They can't hurt you!_

I looked down again, into the cold, open eyes of Liam and Ramon- the two werewolves that still haunted my nightmares.

I gulped back my screams and inhaled, forgetting the gag-inducing smell.

"K-kind of; not exactly. They're the w-werewolves that chased m-me and D-Derek through that town, the ones who wanted to fr-frame Derek for the murders they'd been committing?" Tori's eyes widened in horror.

"So you're saying these guys were murderers?" she asked.

"Pretty much."

"Well then." She walked over to Ramon's body and kicked it, moving on to Liam's when she was satisfied. "I hope they're here right now, watching me beat the shit out of their scrawny asses, those bastards!" She kicked Liam's body again for dramatic effect.

"Look at them!" Simon urged. "Their bodies are almost shredded! What could've done this to em?"

"Whatever or whoever it was, I hope we don't run into it anytime soon." Tori said in barely a whisper.

The words that came out of my mouth next sounded foreign to me. It took me almost a minute to realize it had been me who had spoken.

"I'm going to summon their ghosts. They can tell us what happened."

"Are you sure Chloe?"

"Yeah. Gimme a few seconds to concentrate; I need to focus." I closed my eyes and pictured myself plucking the two werewolf spirits out of limbo.

Nothing happened for a few minutes, and I was about to give up, when-

"What the hell do you think you're doing, little girl?" My eyes shot open, and I attempted to smile at the ghosts, reminding myself they couldn't hurt me; I was in control.

"Hey Liam, remember me? Ramon?" I asked confidently.

Liam smiled. "Look who it is, Ray! Course I remember you, sweetheart! 'Though you never told me you was a necro! We cudda had so much fun together!" He winked at me.

"I'm sure we would've. Now, enough chit-chat. What the hell happened here? What did this to you?" I demanded, feeling cocky. It took all of my self-restraint to keep from adding 'huh, punk?' to the end of my question.

I glanced over at Liam, who was smiling like an idiot. "Why, don't you recognize your boy's work, sweetie? Tsk, tsk, tsk!" He winked at Ramon.

"What are you talking about?"

Liam walked over to where I was standing and bent down to whisper something in my ear. I was repulsed by his close proximity to me, but he was dead, so there was no harm in it…

"You shudda seen what we did to your little boyfriend, sweetheart."

"W-what are y-you t-talking ab-about?"

"You shudda heard him scream. Would'a broken your lil' heart!" He chuckled deeply, like he was enjoying a good joke.

"What d-did you do to him, you m-monster?"

"Chloe, what are they saying?" Simon asked, worried. I didn't answer him.

"His blood was everywhere, you know. Made the biggest mess!" Liam taunted.

"Where is he?" I demanded. "What did you do to him?"

His smile turned into a grimace almost immediately. "What did I do to _him? _More like, what did that filthy, brainless little Cain do to _us_!" He pointed to his body. "Tore us limb-from-limb, the bastard! "

"W-what?!"

He leaned in closer, and I could almost feel his breath on my ear. "He's a monster, sweetie. A killing machine! You shudda seen the way he tore us apart! Wudda made you fear for your life!" He chuckled loudly into my ear. "You know, it's a good thing he's gone now. I'm sure he wudda done the same thing to your pretty little face. It's a good thing me an' Ray did what we did, else he cudda gotten away scot-free… but don't worry, he's gunna pay with his life!"

"Enough!" I screamed. "I'm going to ask you one more time, Liam. Where is Derek?" I made sure to use my no-nonsense voice.

"Now darlin', you know I can't tell ya that. It's confidential information!" He grinned at me.

"Yes, you are going to tell me, and do you know why? Because if you don't, I'm gunna hurtle you back into that pathetic excuse for a body faster than you can say 'sweetheart'! Got that?"

"Aww Ray, lookie here! I got me a feisty one!" Ramon chuckled from the corner, where he had been standing since I summoned him. _Coward._

"Threaten us all you want, _sweetheart, _I'm never gunna tell you where that mutt is. He's gunna die pathetic and alone, just like his daddy!" He laughed loudly, and the sound of it made my blood boil.

"Tell me where Derek is, right _now!"_

"I keep tellin' ya, sweetie! I'm not sayin' nothin' about his whereabouts!"

"Fine." I smiled sweetly at them. "Thank you for your help!" I closed my eyes and concentrated.

I opened my eyes once the screaming began.

"Chloe, what the hell did you do?!" Simon screamed.

"Relax, Simon! I'm just giving them a taste of their own medicine, getting the info we need!"

"Giving them a taste of their own…? CHLOE! Send them back! RIGHT NOW!"

"Relax Simon! I'm just gunna let them suffer until they decide to tell us what we need to know! It's not as bad as it-"

Tori cut me off. "Chloe, you need to send them back," she said calmly. "We can find Derek another way. You don't have to do this…" Something about the tone of her voice softened my resolve, and I immediately felt a rush of guilt. _When did I become so focused on revenge? What happened to the sweet little girl who wouldn't hurt a fly?_

_Easy. She was genetically altered, imprisoned, tortured, homeless…basically, she grew up._

_No! She's still right here! She's still right here…_

I closed my eyes again and focused on releasing Liam and Ramon's ghosts from their body.

When the screaming stopped, I opened my eyes. I looked over at Simon and Tori, avoiding looking at the bodies in order to keep my guilt in check. Simon was shivering uncontrollably, but Tori was still maintaining her calm demeanor.

"G-guys? I'm…so sorry about that. Are you okay? Simon?"

"He's fine, Chloe. Now, are you ready to go?"

"Go where?! We have no idea where Derek could be right now!" I reminded her.

"Look around, Chloe! What do you think happened here?"

"What are you talking about, Tori?"

"Well, judging by wolf boy's clothes over there," she pointed to a pile of partially shredded clothing I hadn't noticed before, "Wolf boy's either going _'oh naturale'_ or now _officially _a wolf."

---

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, guys! The length kinda makes up for it though, doesn't it? Yeah? No? Well, *sticks out tongue* !**

**Anyways, guys…If you really love me, you'll leave at least twenty reviews…pretty please? (Cummon…it's not too much to ask with more than 250 people reading this! Please?)**


	28. Anguish

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I have just posted chapter #27 (ten minutes ago, seriously), and now I'm getting a jump-start on chapter #28. Don't you love me for it? Aren't I such a good person? (Answer: No, I'm not. I just have no life!)

Last chapter was a real dozy, wasn't it? Torture, blood, zombies, ghosts…last chapter had it all (which explains why it took me so long to write!). Thank you to everyone who took the time to review! You guys make my day!

Anyways…I've been working feverishly on the lemon, and I really wanna finish it, so if I don't update again in the next couple of days, you know why. NOTE: Guys, I don't wanna turn this into a porno…I'm going to try as hard as I can to make it good, but I'm not going to get uber-UBER-descriptive! (I won't even know what I'm talking about! :S) Anyways, this week I actually have a question! (I know! :D)

**What are some of your favourite T.V. shows and books? I really need something new to obsess about! :(**

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

---

**This week's disclaimer comes from the girl we all love: Christina! **

**Disclaimer**: Steph and Christina are still wandering through the depths of the forest when Steph sees Christina pick something up off the ground.

Steph: What's that?

Christina: Oh, nothing. It's just an ad from Wal-Mart…NO WAY! Did you know they have all OXY products on sale for 25% off?! That's a pretty good deal right there!

Steph: You mean the acne medications? The zit creams?

Christina: Yeah…

Steph: *Confused*  
I don't see why that's necessary or why you'd care. In case you haven't noticed, we're kinda lost in the forest; face wash should be the last thing on your mind! Plus, we've had impeccably clear skin all our lives!

Christina: It's not for us, silly! I thought maybe we could pick up a few things and make a gift basket for Derek!

Steph: Wait, what?! You're thinking about buying Derek _acne cream? _CHRISTINA?!

Christina: What? I thought since you love DP so much - by the way, have I mentioned it's _still _not yours? – you'de want to fix up some of the characters! Trust me, I'd be doing you a favour! You'll thank me later!

Steph: *Extremely pissed off*  
I really don't know what to say to you right now.

Christina: A 'thank you!' would suffice, I think!  
*Skips away, smiling and humming cheerfully.*

---

**Anguish**

**Chloe POV**

We scoured the city for hours, concentrating our efforts on the area surrounding the brutal scene we had just encountered…

We still hadn't found him.

We were tired, hungry, and fed up; but I wasn't going to give up until I found him- until he was safe.

Derek was out there somewhere, alone and terrified. He had finally completed the Change, and the first thing he had done was kill two people.

_Monsters, _my inner voice corrected. _Not people. Two vicious, bloodthirsty monsters. They deserved what they got and more._

_You're right, but _he's _still going to feel guilty, and you know it._

_That's true…Can you imagine the horrible things they must've done to him?_

I cringed, remembering the blood and gore of Liam's makeshift torture chamber. Derek's blood had covered every surface- he was probably severely injured, possibly disorientated.

_How much blood can a person loose before they die? Two pints? Three? _I wondered, making a mental note to google it when we found Derek.

If _we find Derek…_

I refused to think about that. Instead, I glanced over at Simon. He hadn't said a word to me since the whole incident in the warehouse, and part of me felt guilty for knocking down the pedestal Simon had put me on in his mind.

"Simon, I'm really sorry about before, but can you please try the tracking spells again?" I asked.

"Chloe," he sighed. "I'm not mad at you, I'm just…really worried about Derek. My tracking spell's not picking up on him, and I'm not sure why; it could be because he's in wolf form, or because…" He trailed off, not finishing the thought.

_Because he's dead, _I finished.

"Chloe, this reminds me of when my Dad disappeared. My spell couldn't track him either, and…"

I cut him off. "Okay…if we can't use magic to find him, how about we use logic?" I suggested.

Tori finally spoke. "To be honest with you, I'd really like it if Chloe used her credit card to get us a hotel room. I'm exhausted!"

I spun around to face her. "Tori, we're not stopping until we find him! " She shrugged. "Okay," I continued. "Now, let's go over what we know: Derek completed his Change and may or may not still be in wolf form…"

Simon picked up where I left off. "He lost a lot of blood, and he's probably either really hurt or really out of it right now…"

Tori took control of the conversation. "Okay, so think! Where would _you _go if you were hurt and scared?" she asked. "Somewhere you would feel safe and secure, right? Well, where would Derek-"

"He's in the forest!" I realized. Tori and Simon stared at me quizzically. "He told me he has dreams about being in the forest, being a wolf…" I explained.

"Woah. For a second there, I thought you were going to tell us about Derek's dirty dreams!"

"TORI! Now is soooooo not the time! This is serious! We have to search every forest and wooded area until we find him!"

"You can't be serious. Look around, Chloe! This is _Buffalo, _for God's sakes! The whole state is nothing but forest! How are we supposed to find him in all of this?! He could be anywhere by now!"

"Cummon, Tori! We're so close!" _If only Simon's spell was more powerful…_

"Wait! I have an idea! Tori, have you ever tried casting a tracking spell like Simon's?" I asked.

"No…"

"I know Simon couldn't, but maybe if _you _try, it'll work and we can find Derek!"

"Chloe, if Simon's spell could find him, then I seriously doubt-"

Simon cut her off. "No! Chloe's right, Tor! You're _way _more powerful than I am. Mind couldn't, but maybe _your _spell can!" he said hopefully.

"But I don't know how!" Tori said, defeatedly.

"I'll teach you it, sis. It's not that difficult, trust me!"

Tori sighed. "I'll give it a try, but if it doesn't work, we're definitely getting a hotel room afterwards!"

I smiled. "Whatever you want, Tori. Whatever you want."

*******

Tori was massaging her temples, eyes shut in concentration. "Guys…I think I'm getting something, but it's really, really faint…"

Simon coughed nervously into his fist. "She sounds like one of those phony T.V. psychics!" he whispered. I stifled a laugh.

"Which way, Tor? Lead the way!" he said, louder this time.

Tori began walking without so much as a snarky retort, staying focused on reaching her destination. We walked silently behind her.

She didn't stop until she reached an eerily deserted street that was bordered by huge trees - they were probably hundreds of years old.

"There!" Tori pointed to the trees. "He's about twenty meters in."

Simon and I bolted for the trees, leaving Tori leaning against a 7/11.

*******

We ran silently, following the sound of labored breathing.

"Chloe! Over there!" He pointed to a tree, where there was something or someone-Derek- huddled against the snarling roots of a tree.

My breathing hitched. "Derek!"

He didn't answer.

Simon and I rushed forward to help. I couldn't see a thing, but I could hear Derek's tortured breathing.

"Simon, I need light!" I said frantically.

"Oh, right. Sorry." He lifted his hands up and held them in front of his chest. A moment later, his hands began to glow, illuminating a small section of the forest.

We gasped in union.

It was Derek…but it wasn't.

He was covered in blood- his own. His left arm and right ankle were bent at unnatural angles, and there were stab wounds splattered across his torso.

That was the least of it.

He didn't look human. He was shifting between his wolf and human forms so fast I almost missed it when I blinked. Hair was sprouting and receding quickly; his face was elongating and shortening , and his ears were moving up and down on the side of his face.

His hands and feet were the worst.

His limbs shot out and receded painfully, his hands and feet curling into claws and paws. Thankfully, he still had his shorts on.

"Oh my God…" Simon breathed.

"Simon, can't you do some healing spells or something?" I asked desperately.

"No! I'm a sorcerer, not a shaman!"

Tori appeared behind us. "Would you two stop arguing? We have to get him back to the house so your Aunt Lauren can help him." She sounded calm and cool. _She's probably the only one thinking straight right now…_

"And how're we supposed to do that?!" Simon demanded. "We can't do anything while he's like this! We have to get him to stop shifting!"

"What are we gunna do, Tori?" I asked.

"_You _have to do something, Chloe. I don't know what to do here!"

Simon must've looked over at Derek again, because he swore under his breath.

"Simon, there's no reason for unnecessary profanity right now." _Was that Tori?!_

"What exactly am I supposed to do, Tori?!" I asked desperately.

"Just try talking to him," she said evenly.

"What could that possibly do?!"

"Just try, okay?"

"Fine." I forced myself to look at Derek's crumpled form again. "D-Derek?" I said softly. "Derek? Can you hear me? It's Chloe, Derek. Please, you have to wake up! We need to get you help Derek!" I paused, waiting for something, _anything _to happen.

When it didn't, I tried again.

"Derek, please." I could feel the tears streaming down my face, but I didn't turn away. I rested my hand on his chest- above his heart- and waited.

"Chloe, look!" Tori said.

I looked up at Derek. His shifting was slowing measurably, but he still wasn't conscious. I waited, until finally…he was just _Derek. _

I could hear Tori pull her phone out of her pocket. She dialed a number – Andrew's phone – and began to speak.

"Andrew, we've found him. Can you come pick us up? He's in pretty bad shape."

---

**Author's Note: THEY FOUND HIM! THANK THE LORD, THEY FOUND HIM!**

**Guys, I'm dancing. Seriously. I can't believe I finally got to write that chapter! :D Only one thing could add to my euphoria: reviews! Please review guys, at least twenty please!**


	29. Awake

**Author's Note:** Well, howwwwwwwwwdy! :)

How's everyone doing? Good? I hope so! Welcome to chapter 29 of _The Finding! _(I know, I can't believe it either!)

I've never written anything this long in my entire life! Just think: if each chapter is an average of 8 pages in length, than by the time I'm done, this story will be over 240 pages long! I don't know about you guys, but that's incredible to me.

Anyways…I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter. You guys ALWAYS make my day with your funny comments and the fact that you took the time to review. Thank you for being so supportive of my story!

Today is the much-awaited (and demanded. Gosh, here you go!) Derek POV! :)

That's all for today! I hope you enjoy it!

---

Just little ol' me for today, I'm afraid… Christina has been MIA for a while :(

**Disclaimer:** After days of wandering aimlessly through the forest, Christina and Steph reach the place Derek and Simon have been living since they had the girls committed.

Christina: …and there were these two amazingly hot guys riding those wheel-chair type lawn-mowers, and-

Steph: *Crouching low in the bushes and whispering*  
Shhh! I'll go 'round back and see if there's a way in. You stay here.

Christina: *Squirming and fidgeting*  
But I gotta peeeeee!

Steph: OH. MY. GOD. Why didn't you go before we left?!

Christina: LEFT? Left from where, exactly? The asylum three days ago or that lovely patch of forest we were camping in?

Steph: *At a loss for words*  
Um, I…

Christina: Yeah, that's right! Don't try and lecture me missy, 'cause I have logic and sarcasm on my side!  
*Sticks out tongue and makes the 'loser' hand sign*

Steph: Well soooorry! I was-

Christina: Being stupid and self-righteous? I know! And you know what else? You don't own Darkest Powers! And you know what _else? _I'm gunna march in there and demand to use the bathroom, 'cause I gotta pee!  
*Runs towards the door and knocks*

Steph: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

---

**Awake**

**Chloe POV**

I didn't remember the ride home.

Once we arrived at the house, however, things started happening really fast.

Andrew, Simon, and Tori used a levitation spell to carry Derek up the stairs and up to his room where Aunt Lauren was waiting with the First-Aid kit.

After barking out orders for towels ('Damp, but not sopping wet! Remember to use lukewarm water!') she had shooed us all from the room so she could tend to Derek's many injuries. Andrew tried to get us to leave her to it and get ready for bed, but none of us were budging until we were sure Derek was okay.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts at persuading us to get ready for bed, Andrew returned to whatever he had been doing before, leaving Tori, Simon and I pacing in front of Derek's bedroom door.

After almost half an hour, Simon was becoming impatient and restless. "I'm gunna go grab some dinner," he said quietly.

"Yeah, I'm coming too. " Tori stood up and brushed off her jeans in vain- they were already covered in mud, yet she hadn't felt the need to change out of them…

_Woah! She's actually…worried?!_

They tiptoed away, leaving me all alone in the hallway, which suddenly felt way too big without them.

Luckily, Aunt Lauren didn't make me wait much longer. She slipped out of the room, closing the door tenderly behind her. I looked up at her, my eyes pleading for some sort of an update on his condition.

Her expression changed immediately, the pity she felt for Derek evident in her every feature.

"H-how is he?" I asked.

She sighed defeatedly. "The things those monsters did to him, Chloe…" her face twisted with disgust.

"Just thinking about what they did turns my stomache." She was obviously appalled by what Derek had

been through, but now was not the time to discuss his captors.

"Aunt Lauren, can I…?"

"Go ahead, hon. He needs you right now."

I hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Aunt Lauren. I love you."

"I love you too, Chloe. Don't ever forget that!"

She released me, kissing my forehead before making her way to the bathroom to wash the blood from her hands.

I waited until she closed the door before opening Derek's and tiptoeing in slowly. I closed the door behind me just like Aunt Lauren had, not letting it make a sound. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the absolute worst before turning around.

Derek was still unconscious, although he didn't look as terrible as he had when we had first found him- the blood had been cleaned off by my aunt, but he still looked… broken.

I watched him for a little while, ignoring the tight, nervous feeling in my stomach. There was something wrong with this picture, and I knew what it was…

While he lay there, Derek looked like a defense-less child: battered, abused, and weak; it killed me to see him like that. Derek was the invincible one, the protector and leader of our little misfit group. Seeing him like that was like finding out your childhood hero was just an over-paid actor in tights: heartbreaking in the most painful ways imaginable.

I averted my gaze, studying the other bed in the room. I plopped down on it, the consequences of two days without a proper night's sleep beginning to make themselves known…

Simon and Tori entered the room, not nearly as quietly as I had, the slamming of the door and Simon's hiss of "Tori!" announcing their presence.

"Hey. Your Aunt told us we could come in. How is he?" Simon asked.

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly. "But he's stopped phasing back and forth…that's a good sign, right?"

"I think so…"

We sat in silence for a while, neither of us daring to make a sound.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Simon yawned. "Guys, I think I'm gunna go to bed. I'll come check on you guys later. Night, Chloe." He yawned again. "You coming, Tori?"

"Uh, yeah…I'll be right there."

He nodded and left.

Ten minutes later, I realized Tori was still in the room. She was yawning profusely, and I felt a rare rush of affection towards her. She was sacrificing her well-being for someone else, and she wasn't even complaining about it!

A few minutes later I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at the owner of the arm, surprised to see Tori looking down at me. I met her gaze, and a silent message seemed to pass between us.

_Be strong._

She left after that.

Without the distraction of Simon and Tori's presence, the sleepiness began to creep back faster than before.

I didn't want to leave, but if I was going to fall asleep here –which, I probably was – than I wanted to be comfortable. I made the decision to go grab my pajamas from my room, promising myself that it'd only take a few seconds to do.

I got up off the spare bed, fighting my guilty conscience. _I'm only leaving to get my pj's, I swear! _

_At least check his fever first, _it fought back.

I agreed to that.

I swept his hair away from his forehead before gently resting my hand on it. It was a tad bit warm – nothing serious – so I figured it was okay to leave for a few seconds.

I bent down again and placed a placid kiss on his forehead, wiping a traitorous tear from my eye before turning to leave.

---

**Derek POV**

The pain was like nothing I had ever felt before.

The most outstanding memories were of the searing heat, the flames pulsating through my body and destroying everything they encountered- or at least that's what it felt like. Irrational thoughts swirled around inside my brain, most of them animalistic and wild. I could feel myself slipping away- the weaker parts of me succumbing to the animal inside while the stronger part of me refused to give up.

I was fighting a losing battle; soon there'd be no ammunition left.

I writhed in agony as my spine began to realign itself. A low whimper escaped my lips.

"Awwwe, I think he's in pain, Ray! What'd ya think we should do? Should we help him?"

"Naw! I say we let him tough it out- it'll help him grow as a person, build character an' all that!"

They both chuckled boisterously, as if they could think of nothing more enjoyable than watching someone fight for their life. I read about people like that once- people who suffer from some sort of traumatic experience when they are young often developed sadistic thoughts at a later age…

Most serial killers start out like that.

_Well, CRAP! Liam's daddy touched his 'naughty parts' when he was little and now I have to pay for it? _

_Figures._

I almost laughed…almost. It was cut off abruptly by another painful muscle spasm. This one lasted longer than any of the others had, destroying the last of my defenses and sapping the last of my strength.

I gave in to the animal.

It was a relief, finally letting it take control.

Once I did, it was like I was sitting in some sort of movie theatre, watching a movie play out, except I could control what happened.

Free from my bindings, I turned on Liam and Ramon. They tried phasing, but I was too fast for them.

Everything after that was a bit of a blur. I remembered the blood and the screams, escaping the building, and then suddenly…something felt really, really wrong.

I remembered retreating into the forest, the only place I felt safe…I must've blacked out after that, although I distinctively remember someone calling my name.

*******

The memories of that place would probably haunt me for the rest of my life, but at that moment, I wasn't bothered by any of it. I felt safe, secure…

Something brushed my forehead gently. I felt the slightest pressure, followed by a measureable increase in the tempo of my heartbeats.

There was only one person in the world who had that effect on me, and if she was around, I wasn't wasting any more time _sleeping!_

I breathed in deeply and there it was: the comforting, familiar, wonderfully intoxicating scent.

I forced my eyes open, and there _she _was, practically dragging her feet towards the door.

I couldn't let her leave; not now, not ever.

I leapt up out of bed, ignoring the protests coming from my broken limbs. She hadn't heard me, so I reached out and grabbed her arm (lightly of course).

"Hey, who said you could leave, huh?"

She gasped, stopping dead in her tracks. "D-Derek?"

She spun around and stared up at me, tears welling up in her eyes. I smiled crookedly and she practically flung herself at me, wounding her tiny arms around of much of me as she could reach.

"You're such a dumbass!" she said, burying her face in my chest.

"Yeah, I love you too."

---

**A/N: There you have it! A bit of fluff, along with the much-awaited Derek POV. Only one more chapter left, guys! (And the epilogue.)**

**I have a bit of a confession to make: There's a mammoth centipede somewhere in my room (I can't find it!) and it's distracting me from writing. I'm usually the Terminator of all things insect, but now I'm terrified, 'cause seriously, this thing is friggin' HUGE! **

**So, in honour of my irrational fears, I'm asking for 25 reviews. They'll give me courage, and then I can write the le- last chapter faster! What'd ya say? :D**


	30. Conclusions

**Author's Note:** I promised myself I wouldn't cry…

Guys, I can't believe this is the last chapter! I seriously can't believe I wrote this story in only 2 months, and now I'm sending it out into the world alone! It feels like I'm abandoning my new-born baby or something! :(

OK, I'll stop. This author's note is gunna be a bit longer than the others, because I have a lot to say to everyone out there in fanfiction land:

For the last time, I'd like to thank the amazing people who reviewed every single chapter. You guys were my inspiration, and without you I would've given up a long time ago. This chapter is dedicated to all of you!

Wow, that actually wasn't as long as I thought it would be! Anyways, I'd like to remind you guys of some stuff:

There is going to be an epilogue for this story, so for those of you who haven't subscribed, make sure to check back soon!

I'm starting my new story soon. I have no idea what the title's gunna be or when I'm gunna start, but if you're interested, subscribe to author alerts!

Check Kelley's livejournal every two weeks! She posts chapters of Derek and Simon's back-story on the first and fifteenth of every month!

That's pretty much it. Enjoy this chapter, guys! You earned it!

---

It's still just me! :(

**Disclaimer:** Thanks to the lack of thinking on Christina's part, the girls are once again  
being held prisoners by the boys they love.

Steph: Do you see what your idiocity has gotten us into? God, why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?!

Christina: Well, sorry! I had to pee! You can't just ignore the call of nature, you know!

Steph: You're such an idiot.

Christina: Oh yeah? Well, YOU DON'T OWN-

Steph: SIMON! CAN YOU COME SHUT HER UP, PLEASE?

Christina: Oh please! Simon would never-Simon! Baby, you know how to shut me up, don't you?  
*Seductive tone of voice*

Simon: Ugh, yeah.  
*Shrugs*  
Finally, some peace and quiet! Open wide, princess!  
*shoves cloth in her mouth and leaves*

Steph: *Looks at Christina who is smiling widely*  
What are you smiling about?!

Christina: *Spits out gag*  
Did you hear that? He called me princess!  
*Smiles like a crazy person*

---

**Conclusions**

**Chloe POV**

I had been avoiding Derek like the plague for an entire week now. After the hug we shared in his room I hadn't even spoken to him, apart from the polite "good morning" and "how are you?". I was avoiding him, giving him the space he needed to be able to heal.

Part of me was disappointed when he didn't seek me out, but I figured it was for the best. He was still coming to grips with what he had been through, and knowing Derek, he would want time alone to think things through.

Over the course of those few days I committed myself to learning everything I could about my powers.

Whoever had lived in this house before us – they had probably been Edison Group cronies – had left behind a really well-stocked library. I spent most of my time in there, uncovering anything I could about my 'gift'…

For example: According to one of the less-gruesome texts, a necromancer's aura (the magnetic field around every object) is usually a bright, shimmering white, compared to the multi-coloured auras of regular people. That's how they are so easily distinguished from the rest of society by ghosts, and probably what Liz meant when she said I seemed to 'glow'...

The subject matter wasn't exactly bedtime-reading material, but it kept me occupied.

Apparently Tori thought I should be passing the time in less…_wholesome _ways.

"Chloe, are you reading again?" she asked, making it sound like I was doing something I shouldn't be.

"Yes Tori, I am. Is there anything you needed, or are you just gracing me with your presence again?"

She ignored the jab. "You know, you'll never get any action if you keep makin' love to those books of yours, and I'm sure Derek agrees…How long has it been, anyways? Three week since you saw each other? It's probably been longer since you've made-out…Poor boy probably _needs a hand, _if you know what I-"

"Tori?" I asked in a small voice.

"Yeah?"

"SHUT IT!"

"Fine, whatever. Don't come crying to me when you find a stack of _Playboy's _hidden under his bed!" She stormed away, leaving me alone in the library.

I glared at the back of her head as she walked away, just for good measure.

*******

A few hours later Derek entered the library.

I watched him limp over to where I was sitting, amazed at how he had healed over the course of a few short days; Aunt Lauren had told me he didn't even need the cast anymore- she was just making Derek wear it so he wouldn't over-exert himself by going for a run.

"Hey," he greeted, plopping down on the chair opposite my own.

"Hey," I said softly, returning my gaze to the book in my lap.

We were silent for a few minutes.

"You know, you'll have to look at me _sometime, _Chloe," he finally said.

_Crap! He knows I'm avoiding him!_"Oh! S-sorry!" I stammered. "This book is just _really _interesting!" I laughed nervously before putting the book down on the coffee table. "What's up?"

"Nothing… I'm in the mood for a walk. Wanna come with me?"

"I thought Andrew said we weren't allowed to leave the house…" I reminded him. "Won't he yell at us or something?"

"He's not here. Him and your Aunt went 'grocery shopping'," he said, emphasizing the words heavily.

I stared at him, confused. "Didn't they just go yesterday…? And what's with the air-quotations?!"

He smiled before answering. "I think I heard them talking about going on a date."

I was speechless. My aunt hadn't been on any dates in…a long time. "Woah, that's just so…."

"I know…anyways, you up for that walk?"

"Um… s-sure!" I said enthusiastically, ignoring the protests coming from my guilty conscience.

*******

We weren't even thirty meters in when Derek abruptly stopped to sit on a moss-covered rock.

"Why are we stopping?" I asked.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said, using the same words he had the night he came to my room to break my heart. I tried to wrestle back the memories, refusing to allow them to ruin the moment.

"Listen," he began. "We both know I'm not always the nicest person around, and I happen to suck at apologies, but I need to do this…" I stared at him quizzically, not understanding where exactly he was planning on taking this conversation.

"I'm sorry about everything, Chloe. I'm sorry that I ruined your life by dragging you into this. I'll completely understand if you don't want me around anymore- I know I hurt you, and I really don't deserve a second chance…" He trailed off, seeing the look on my face. "Ok, I get it. You're terrified of me now, right? Scared of what I could do? I don't blame you, Chloe, and I'll… understand if you don't want me around anymore," he repeated, hanging his head.

The pleading edge to his voice shocked me out of my speechless state. Had he just said what I thought he said? Was he really that clueless?

_Judging by the way he's acting, I think he is!_

"Derek…" I placed my hand on his cheek, forcing his head up so I could gaze into his eyes.

"Derek, we went through this, remember? If you don't, you're probably the stupidest super-genius I've ever met!" I mumbled the last few words against his lips before kissing him.

I could feel him beginning to pull away, but I wasn't going to let him. Instead of surrendering, I deepened the kiss, running my tongue alone his bottom lip before he finally gave in and allowed me entrance.

After a few minutes of this, he pulled away. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?" he asked desperately.

"There's nothing to forgive- you were just trying to keep me safe, right? I do have somes conditions though."

"What are they?" he asked eagerly.

I almost told him to forget about it, but Tori's words from earlier kept nagging at me, and I had to be sure…

"First, you have to promise that'll you'll never leave me behind ever again. And second: you have to promise me that there has never been and will never _be_ any type of dirty magazine in your possession."

"Huh?!" he looked genuinely offended, which probably meant I was worrying for nothing.

"Nevermind."

I kissed him again, dismissing any questions he had been about to ask.

After a few moments of kissing like this my legs were tired, so I climbed onto his lap. He picked me up effortlessly, sitting us down on the ground with me still straddling his lap, his hands secure on my upper thighs.

This time I pulled away.

While my breathing recovered, Derek trailed kisses from my mouth to my cheeks, down to my collar bone, my shoulder…

He kissed down the entire length of the inside of my arm, and the feeling of his lips on my skin made me want him even more… I tangled my hands in his hair and pulled him back towards my lips.

He laid us down on the ground, and I tugged at his shirt, signaling for him to take it off.

What I saw there almost broke my heart: his entire torso was covered with angry, puckered scars, still as red as they had been the day Liam inflicted them. Seeing those scars triggered something inside me.

Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I bent down to place a gentle kiss on each one.

I could feel him shuddering beneath me but I didn't stop until I had kissed every one of the souvenirs from that night. He shuddered again as I brushed my fingertips over the harsh, puckered skin, wishing I could make them disappear.

I looked up at his eyes- the eyes that had haunted my every nightmare while he'd been away. The view was obscured by his hair so I pushed it back gently.

Derek caught my hand and held it to his cheek, staring straight into my eyes with his. He pulled us back up into a sitting position.

"I love you," he said sincerely. I raised my eyebrow at him questioningly. "I mean it, Chloe!"

I laughed. "I know, and I love you too."

He leaned in to kiss me again but I stopped him, pulling back so I could remove my shirt.

Derek wouldn't be Derek if he didn't hesitate…

"Wait!" he said, pinning my arms to my sides. "I want to do this right, Chloe. I don't want you to ever have to regret your decisions, so if you're not sure, we can stop right now."

I smiled, recognizing the same speech he had given me last time. That time I had been unsure, but now?

Now I knew what I wanted, and I wasn't going to wait any longer. My life was nowhere near predictable, and it could all be over at any moment.

I wasn't going to waste any more time.

"Do we have an audience?" I asked, the memories of our previous attempt still fresh in my mind.

"Um, no…?"

"Then keep going."

He pulled me in for another kiss: he was starting over, wanting to take it slow.

I wanted to respect his wishes, but my clothes suddenly felt extremely constricting; I pulled off my shirt, revealing the simple white bra underneath.

A resonating sound escaped his lips- a cross between a growl and a moan.

_There goes his self-control._

Derek lowered his gaze, showering my stomach with feather-light kisses as his hands found the clasp on my jeans.

Always the graceful one, I fumbled with the zipper on his jeans incessantly until he chuckled. "I've got it," he whispered, sliding the zipper down and pulling his jeans off effortlessly. I blushed; embarrassed at my inability to function when he was around.

I followed his lead, tugging my shorts down and pulling my legs free, absentmindedly throwing them behind me - now was not the time to be organized.

Something in his eyes changed- the colour got darker somehow, and I could practically see all his thoughts buzzing around inside his head.

He leaned in for another kiss, and I grabbed a fistful of hair, wanting him closer... it was like I couldn't get enough of him.

He was on top of me now, but I didn't feel any pressure – he was supporting his weight with one hand. I was about to ask where his other hand was when I felt something brush against my inner thigh. He stroked the skin there, running his fingers up and down until I got goose-bumps.

I hitched my legs around his torso and tried getting closer, crushing myself to him. We were so close now, and I could how hard he was through his thin boxers…

I instinctively rubbed myself against him, causing him to moan. "Oh God, Chloe…I can't…" he managed to choke out between kisses.

I got the message and began pulling his shorts down.

They hadn't moved more than an inch before he stopped me again, telling me we needed protection.

I told him not to worry about it – Tori had convinced me to start birth control while we were at the first safe-house, telling me it helped you develop faster and made periods easier; I had been taking it ever since – and resumed my mission. All the while Derek worked on removing my bra.

He unhooked it precisely and waited for me to finish removing his boxers, being very patient despite the fact that he was probably having trouble controlling himself.

After completing that task, I moved on to my own underwear, not letting my eyes wander. I removed them slowly, whipping them behind me like I had done with my shorts.

You know that moment in most funny movies were the guy and the girl are just lying there after a random hook-up, and they're just staring up at the ceiling? I always thought sex would be like that- messy, kinda awkward – but right now, everything just felt…right.

"I love you Chloe, and I always will," Derek whispered in my ear, strengthening my conviction. He was rubbing little circles into my skin reassuringly.

"I love you too."

I allowed myself to look after that.

_Woah. That _has_ to hurt!_

With the blush still burning my cheeks, I brushed my fingers against him tenderly.

He shuddered – almost violently – before leaning down to whisper in my ear again.

"Are you ready?" he asked shakily. I nodded confidently, giving him a smile. Based on everything I'd been told, I knew I'd probably be in pain for a few minutes, but it was worth it...

"Gently, okay?"

He nodded and positioned himself on top of me, lowering himself down inch by inch. I felt like I was being teased, although I knew he was just doing it so he wouldn't hurt me.

Finally he pushed inside, continuing his 'slow and steady' strategy.

I could feel him inside me, and it _did _hurt. In fact, it hurt like hell…but I wasn't going to let him know that.

Something must've shown on my face, because he pulled back and hugged me tightly. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, stroking my hair.

"I'm okay, just give me a few seconds…" I wasn't lying- the pain was still there, but it was bearable, and I was ready to continue.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Keep going."

He lowered himself down and pushed inside again- this time, instead of the searing pain, I felt…

There were no words. As our hips rocked together – slowly at first, the tempo increasing as we became more comfortable – a thousand emotions flew through me, each describing the moment perfectly in its own way.

_Passion, Heat, Happiness…_

And then we were gone.

*******

I don't know how long we were _occupied, _but when we finally stopped, the sun was setting and the last of the light was filtering in through the trees.

We laid there in the forest for a while, smiling and talking about stupid things. We were both exhausted, so when we finally returned to the house, we showered, changed, and plopped down on the bed in my room, safe from everything the world could throw at us – at least for now – in each other's arms.

---

**A/N: *Wipes tears away* And there it is guys: the longest chapter I've ever written (I think so, anyways). **

**A huge thanks (again) to anyone and everyone who has ever reviewed. I'm gunna be super-evil and ask for 40 reviews for this chapter before I post the epilogue. Tell me what you think: lemme know if I screwed the lemon up, or just stop by to tell me how evil I am for ending the story :)**


	31. Epilogue

**Author's Note:** Ok, I know you guys are angry right now, but I have a bunch of completely not made-up reasons for taking so long to post this!

First: I was sick, and yes, it was gross. Have you ever been sick and tried to deny/hide it from everyone around you? Well for me it's a full-time job, 'cause my family is hugeeeeee!

Second: School started again, and my teachers felt the need to drown me in homework the first week :( I promise I'll have the first chapter of my new story up soon, but you'll have to be patient- I'm strictly a weekend warrior during school.

Third: I have been completely obsessed with The Mortal Instruments. I seriously can't believe I waited so long to read them!

OK, so maybe I only had three…but they're good enough reasons, right? No?

---

Your final disclaimer (:[) is collaboration between Christina and I. It's longer than the others too, so I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer:** At an attempt at a civil conversation, Simon, Derek, and the girls discuss their situation. They decide it's time to end this, once and for all.

Steph: Guys, I'm sorry about everything I've done to you. I was only trying to keep you close to me until the Reckoning came out, and I guess I might've gone overboard a bit…

Simon: We'll forgive you, as long as you give up your stalker-ish tendencies and leave us alone for a while.

Steph: Okay. I promise to leave you alone until I write my next story.

Simon: Agreed. Now it's your turn, Christina.

Christina: Simon, I'm sorry for deluding myself into believing there was something between us. I promise I'll leave you alone from now on, and we can just be friends.

Derek: Good!

Christina: And Steph? I'm sorry for getting us caught. And I'm sorry for reminding you that you don't own Darkest Powers. I promise to listen to you from now on…especially when you tell me to buy books and those adorable beanie hats!

Steph: Don't worry about it, Tina! I still love you!

Derek: Well, if we're all apologizing… Simon, I'm sorry for being afraid of this creepy chick.  
*Points to Steph*  
But seriously, can you blame me?

Simon: I forgive you, bro. I guess it's my turn now, right?

Steph: Yup, go ahead.

Simon: Okay. I'm sorry for hiding my undying love for Christina from everyone all this time. She's the perfect girl for me, and I guess I was just using my humor and sarcasm as a way to avoid admitting my true feelings…

Christina: *Eye twitches*  
That's not very nice, Simon. Mocking me when I'm trying to apologize?

Simon: But it's all true!

Christina: Oh! I get it!  
*Looks around*  
Where's Ashton? I'm being _Punked_, aren't I?

Steph: Tina…I think he's being serious.

Christina: In that case, I take back everything I just said!  
*Jumps on Simon*  
You know, this is just like a dream I had, except we had less clothes on then!

Steph: Okay then….  
*Turns to Derek with hope in her eyes*  
Does that mean there's a chance for us?

Derek: Not in a million years.

And they all lived happily ever after…

…except Steph. She's currently on a mission to hunt down Kelley Armstrong and show her who's boss! ;)

**---**

**Epilogue – Surprises**

**Chloe POV**

The next few weeks passed quietly, with only a few mild outbursts from Tori.

"Look, all I'm saying is we need to do something other than visit the grocery store and the 7/11 down the street! We need some _excitement!_"

I cocked my eyebrow at her. "Excitement, Tori? Really? After everything we've been through these past couple of weeks, you want _excitement?!"_

"Well, yes! Seeing as _I _don't have someone sticking their tongue down my throat every day, I need _something _to do!" she said impassively.

"TORI!" I shrieked.

"Oh, come off it Chloe. Everyone knows what you and wolf boy have been doing in here."

I was speechless. Had all our attempts at sneakiness been that transparent?

My shock must've been projected on my face, because Tori suddenly looked guilty. "Calm down, Chloe. I was kidding- I'm the only one who knows."

I released the breath I'd been unconsciously holding and relaxed a bit. "Don't scare me like that!" I scolded.

"Why not?" she asked defiantly. "It's the most fun I've had all week!"

I sighed. "Go away, Tori."

"Whatever, I'm leaving," she said.

Derek suddenly appeared in the doorway, shuffling past Tori on his way in. She glanced back at me and smiled. "Have fun, kiddies! And remember: No glove, no love!"

Derek stopped dead in his tracks. We hadn't told anyone about _that night, _and if we had wanted to, Tori wouldn't have made the list of people to tell.

I rolled my eyes at him. "She's kidding, Derek. Weren't you leaving, Tori?"

She turned to leave. "Actually," Derek cut in. "Andrew wants us to meet him in the kitchen now."

"Already?" I asked. Ever since Derek's recovery, we had all come to terms with the fact that we would have to face the Edison Group alone. Knowing this, we had started to formulate another plan, keeping in mind everything Liz had dug up about the Edison Group's members. We met in the kitchen everyday to discuss tactics and strategies, but we usually did that after dinner, and it was only 2PM…

"Yeah. Apparently Andrew and your Aunt have some 'errands' to run later."

I didn't miss the double meaning behind the words.

"Ooooh." I bit my lip and made my way over to where he was standing at the door. He weaved his fingers through mine and led me away from the library.

*******

When we arrived in the kitchen everybody was already seated and waiting. Derek and I claimed the last two seats, pushing them together so we could still hold hands. Andrew cleared his throat once we were seated.

"Now that everyone's here, we can begin," he said, sounding like my old camp counselor from drama camp. "Chloe, can you call Liz?"

"Sure." Liz had been joining us everyday like she had before, helping us strategize and spying on the Edison Group for us. Liz always sat in on our little group meetings, and Andrew had even purchased a white board for her to draw on to be able to communicate with everyone more easily.

I concentrated, making sure not to allow my power to flow out of control. I reined it in, keeping it at a 'low' setting.

Within seconds Liz was standing in the kitchen with us- although I was the only one who could see her.

"She's here," I informed everyone.

"Hey Chloe!"

"Hey Liz!" I smiled- her bubbly personality had that effect on me. "I hope you don't mind, but we had to do this a bit earlier than planned today."

"That's alright! I wasn't doing anything important anyway."

"Okay, that's good I guess...so what did you find out?"

Her smile vanished immediately. It was replaced by a sort of worried frown.

"What's wrong, Liz?" I asked anxiously.

"It's Rae…" she trailed off, grabbing a dry-erase marker off of the counter as she sauntered over to the white-board. She began to write, saying each word as she wrote it.

"Rae's in trouble," she began. Tori straightened up immediately, focusing on the whiteboard. "She's becoming disobedient and using her powers on the guards. They're fed up with her. They're giving her until the end of the month to 'improve' or else they're going to…" she stopped writing, capping the marker again and laying it on the table.

"Going to _what?" _Simon demanded.

"You're such an idiot, Simon. It's obvious: they're going to kill her if she doesn't start playing along again!" Tori explained.

"Oh…"

"What are we going to do, Andrew?" I interceded.

"We're going to finalize our strategy, and then we're going to act."

***

"So it's settled then? By this time next week we'll have infiltrated the Edison Group's Headquarters."

We all nodded in agreement.

"By this time next week, the Edison Group will be no more."

The finality of his statement sent my mind whirling, my imagination showing me things I didn't want to see.

_What if we don't succeed? What if some of us don't make it out alive?_

I looked up at Derek and cringed.

_What if _he _doesn't make it? What if he sacrifices himself for us? We all know he would-_

Tori interrupted my internal crisis.

"Finally! Let's get this over with before something _else _can go wrong! I mean, seriously! How many times can-"

She was halted by the sound of Andrew's cellphone ringing.

It suddenly became deathly quiet. Andrew pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"I don't recognize the number…"

We all looked at each other, worry bubbling up in our stomachs.

_Who could know Andrew's number? He just bought that phone a few days ago…_

Andrew pressed the little green 'answer' button, then another black button on the side, labeled 'speaker'.

He cleared his throat. "Uh…hello?"

I didn't recognize the voice that answered, but someone else did.

"Andr...ew." The line was filled with static, obscuring whatever the person was trying to say.

"DAD!" Simon and Derek shouted simultaneously, horror plastered all over their faces. They darted up to stand as close as they could to the phone.

"Where are you?!" Simon shouted.

"Stay…way…Edis…Grou…know…wher…RUN…want…necr…girl…raise…"

"Raise what? What do they want her to raise? Where are you, Kit?!" Andrew's voice was a few octaves higher than usual, a sure sign that he was about to have some sort of breakdown.

"Demons." The word came through hauntingly and perfectly, despite the static.

The line went dead, the dial-tone echoing eerily throughout the quiet house. I glanced around at the horrified expressions on everyone's faces.

Everything went black.

---

**Author's Note: **

Steph: And that's it! I'm kind of in shock at this point, so I'll let Christina do the thank-yous for me for now.

Christina: *Wipes tear away*  
I'd like to thank you all for everything! I'm truly blessed to have fans like you. This Oscar wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't for your dedication to this story. It's been a long ride, but it's been incredible and I wouldn't have it any other way. On my list of thank-you's is the one and only Steph, who is the genius behind all of this. I'm not only saying this because she's the bestest cousin ever and I love her with all my heart, but she is truly incredible. You are my Chapters/Fanfiction/CSI/Supernatural/Twilight/Jane Austen partner in crime! And we should write a book together. Just sayin'. I mean, the disclaimers we wrote were good, right? They are totally awesome and one-of-a-kind. I just love them! Next are the reviewers and alert people who favoured this story over a thousand times. I know Steph was needy in that sense (Steph: HEY! What do you mean, _needy?!)_ but your thoughts and words were much appreciated. The creeper (AKA Steph) saved them all on hotmail. I'd also like the thank Kelley Armstrong who is the true genius behind the series, without which none of this would have been possible. Simon wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her! And also,-

Steph: CHRISTINA! I think they get it. You're very thankful. We see that. And what's this about an Oscar? This is a fanfic, sweetie. Why are you reciting a speech?

Christina: I'm just thanking the fans!

Steph: I think that's good enough for now…I need to post the update, you know! Everyone's been waiting patient for this, and I've had to delay it for weeks so you could write this! Let's go!

Christina: No! I still wanna-

Steph:*Dragging her away*  
Let's go!

Christina: NOOOOOOO!!!!

**Once Christina is sedated and sleeping…**

Guys, don't tell anyone, but I have a little piece of info for ya'll: the story is not necessarily OVER!

I know you just went back and re-read that, so I'll say it again: the story is not necessarily over! I left it open (the cliffie) for a reason! That's all I'm saying for now, though.


	32. Acknowledgements

**Acknowledgements!**

Ok guys! I was gunna include these in the last chapter, but it got really long, so here it is!

Like I said before, the last chapter was dedicated to all of you! Thank you for being so supportive of the story! I'd especially like to thank:

**Fanpire4000**: The first one to ever review! I was jumping up and down after reading it because I was so excited! Thank you!

**JessiKa xoxo**: You always had nice things to say! Thank you so much!

**FableLiterature**: You always gave me great constructive critism. Thank you for everything!

**OnceUponANovel:** Our supernatural/ Jared Padelecki discussions helped me get over some major writer's block, and your reviews always made me laugh. Thank you!

**Burning..:** I loved our random Wal-Mart conversations! (Notice I included it in the story? :D) Thanks for the inspiration, and for always leaving long reviews!

**Aaliyalove25:** Did I ever mention I love that song? Anyways, thank you for reviewing every chapter even though you started reading after they were all posted! You deserve a big hug, but my arms probably won't reach :(

**Infindel:** For understanding my Planet Unicorn jokes. I thought I was the only one! Just so ya know, I actually sketched out Cadillac and am planning to make him into my fanfic display pic thingie! :D

**Shout in a Whisper:** Your reviews were almost always the longest (I LOVE long reviews!) and you always tried your best to answer my random questions. Thank you!

**Eaglesgrl365:** Telling me to keep writing worked! Maybe you have awesome powers too? Thank you!

**Sweet...**: For all the not-so-subtle threats that made me write faster, and all the long reviews :) Thank you so much!

**SpencerReidFan89**: For helping me out with the whole 'OMG WHAT TIME IS CRIMINAL MINDS ON? HELP ME!' thing, and for having an awesome penname. Spencer Reid = hottest- awkward-sweet-genius EVER!

**April93**: Thank you for your long reviews! I could tell that you really relate to the characters! Thanks again!

**CrimsonFury73:** Your review made me laugh! I hope you enjoyed the lemon :)

I'd also like to thank:

Everyone I forgot! I'm only human (or so I'v been told. We'll see how the investigation goes…) Here are the people who definitely deserve a shoutout as well:

Lil'minnie, AntiSocialBookWorm, The Booknerd, Smiling Maple, Eternity Awaits Me, 84, Vampiress014, FreyasWrath, Vampsforchamps62, GirlWithoutAName, Bri Bri, Flo Chlo, Teddies456, Julia, Maggiepie34, Drowninginblackwater, Lizzie6376, Babewithbrains88. You guys all deserve a hug!

Also, any anonymous reviewers! There are so many of you, I couldn't keep track :(

And last but not least…

**Christina!** Where would I be without her and her hardcover-smacks-to-the-head? She's my bestest friend and my bestest cousin (MS Word, I don't care if 'bestest' isn't a word! Get rid of that stupid red underline!) This whole story is dedicated to you, girl! (Well, except the lemon, 'cause that would be tres weird…) Thank you for everything, especially the disclaimers and of course the support! :D LOVE YOU!!!


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